Noble Reason
by SatinKisses
Summary: One woman had been living in the real world for 25 yrs, one woman had been exiled for 25, and one woman had been clan leader for 27. All three are not exactly who they appear to be. All three have a secret. ByakuyaxOC, RenjixOC, Ichi, Uki, Ruki, Shun, Yoru, Ran, Tosh, and others. Genres: Drama, Romance, Mystery, Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship and Family
1. Sweet Dreams

Let's see, when was the last time I began/worked on a story on here? It has been a long a** time, I do know that much, lol. Well, I'm glad to prove that I am neither dead or in a coma, lol. I was just in "dormant-writer" mode. But I'm back now with a brand new fan fic, my very first Bleach fan fic. This story is a romantic dramadey (drama + comedy) and hopefully you guys will enjoy reading it. It may be a bit rocky or confusing at the beginning but things will clear up soon. I promise. Thank you all for reading :)

Note, I do not own Bleach (but I wish I did cause . . . CHA-CHING $$$) but I do own the whole Hidaka clan, Arisu Mochizuki, and every non-cannon zanpakto

Rated M for: language, alcohol use, violence, and maybe some sexual stuff later on

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki would dream about the blue haired girl from his childhood every once in a while. The one person that gave him even more trouble than that damned Yoruichi Shihouin. He had not seen her in decades, but she still lingered in her thoughts. He did consider her a friend, a good friend as a matter of fact, but no romance ever developed between them. Hisana had been the recipient of his affections and she had been engaged to a male of the Shihouin clan. Yet and still, the girl would come to his dreams; sometimes as his playmate, sometimes as a grown woman. This night was no different.

* * *

"Stay still Byakuya. Let me finish combing out these tangles." Byakuya pouted.

"Why do I have to sit here for this? I like my hair like it was."

"Well, be that as it may, your hair is not presentable for the company that you are having today. As a member of the Kuchiki clan, you want to look your best whenever a noble comes to visit you."

"But I thought that the Hidaka clan wasn't as highly ranked as we are."

"That's true, they aren't."

"So why do I have to look nice for them? Shouldn't they look nice for me?" Byakuya's mother swatted him on the arm. "Ow!" Byakuya grabbed his arm where he had been hit.

"Regardless of the rank, they are still nobility. We are supposed to look and behave our best whenever any noble family comes to visit. You remember that." The young boy sighed deeply.

"Yes ma'am."

"Besides, the Hidaka clan isn't that much below us. They have the same ranking as the Kasumi-Ooji clan and the Ito clan." His mother stepped back when she had finished doing his long, black hair. "There. All finished. Now go get dressed. They will be here shortly."

"Hai haha." Byakuya climbed out of his mother's lap and left the room.

* * *

"Oh there you are, Byakuya. I've been looking all over for you?" Sojun Kuchiki asked his son as Byakuya walked out the front door. "Where have you been?"

"Mother was combing my hair and she told me to get dressed. She said I had to look nice for when the Hidaka clan stopped by."

"Your mother is right. Come here, let me see you." Byakuya obeyed, walked over and stood in front of his father. Sojun gave him a good look over, straightened his haori and nodded his head in approval. "Very good. You look nice son. Very handsome, just like your father." Sojun chuckled as he playfully hit his son in the forearm. Byakuya giggled as he took a seat beside his father on the patio.

"What is this boy like, father? Why do you want me to play with him?" Sojun looked down at his son and smiled.

"Well,_ her_ name is Sayori and she is a very sweet girl. She is friendly and she has impeccable manners, something that hopefully, will rub off on you."

"Chichiiii!" The elder Kuchiki laughed.

"I'm sorry son. I'm only kidding. But yes, Sayori has good manners and she is very pretty as well. Her father is the captain of Squad Five. He and your Grandfather suggested the ideal of a play date to me, and your mother and I agreed. I think you'll really like her son." Byakuya crinkled his nose at the ideal of having a play date with a girl. His wasn't really fond of them, since he always had to be on his best behavior around them. Plus, they didn't enjoy the same games as boys did. All they wanted to do was play tea or house or with their dolls.

"I don't really like playing with girls, chichi." Sojun chuckled, patting the child's head.

"Just give her a chance, musuko. I'm sure you two will get along quite fine." He gave Byakuya a reassuring smile, but it did nothing to settle his doubts. Sojun turned his head, hearing the sound of feet scrunching against the graveled pathway leading up to the Kuchiki manor. The Squad Six lieutenant smiled as he rose to his feet, seeing the current head of the Hidaka clan, Yoshimitsu, and his second child, Sayori, walk up the pathway. Sojun grabbed Byakuya by the arm and pulled him to his feet as well. Byakuya stared at the visitors as they came closer to the manor. He immediately realized that his mother was right. Even though the Hidaka clan was of lesser status, one could immediately tell that they were still highly esteemed nobility. Both the father and daughter carried themselves with a tremendous amount of confidence and pride. He also could tell that Yoshimitsu was of considerable power. He stared in awe of the Court Guard Squad captain; a position that he dreamed of holding one day. Yoshimitsu was quite tall, hovering around 6'3''. He had an athletic build, being neither too small nor too large. His long black hair was tied into a high ponytail and his cerulean eyes gleamed in the sunlight. He had a huge smile plastered on his mocha colored face that was covered in a black goatee. The man looked like he was harmless with that smile, but Byakuya knew better.

"Sojun! My man, how are you doing today?" Yoshimitsu greeted his comrade with a high-five/handshake. Sojun smiled as he gave him a brotherly hug.

"I am just fine, Yoshi. How are you?"

"Oh you know me. Can't complain. Sorry Sayori and I are late. I had to check on the missus before we left the manor. Had to make sure that she was alright."

"Oh? How is Yume doing?"

"Good. Real good. She's eight months. Won't be long now, ha ha."

"Well, congratulations. I think Lady Kuchiki and I are finished in that area." Both men laughed. Sojun turned his attention to the young girl holding firmly to her father's hand. He smiled warmly as he squatted in order to meet her at eye level. "And how are you doing Sayori?" Sayori nodded her head.

"I'm fine Kuchiki-dono," she said, bowing. Sojun smiled, patting her cheek.

"That's good. Hey, I have someone I want you to meet." He extended his hand, motioning for Byakuya to come stand beside him. Byakuya reluctantly obeyed and came. Sojun wrapped an arm around his shoulders and brought him in closer. "This is my son, Byakuya. Byakuya, this is Sayori Hidaka."

"Hey," Byakuya said. Sojun discreetly pinched him on the arm. "Uh . . . I mean – nice to meet you." He bowed, taking his father's warning in.

"Nice to meet you too, Kuchiki-sama," the girl replied, bowing as well. Byakuya stared at her for a few moments, trying to see if what his father told him earlier about her was indeed true. The girl was a little on the tall side, taller than him at least and thin. She had the same brown skin tone and almond-shaped, cerulean eyes as her father, but her hair was this rare blackish-royal blue color. _That's odd._ She was dressed in a nice, pink kimono with white and yellow flowered printing. Her hair was decorated with pink and white hair ornaments. He had to agree with his father. The girl was pretty, but that still did not change the fact that she was probably a dull playmate.

"I'm glad that you two finally got to meet each other," Yoshimitsu said to Byakuya with another bright, white smile. "I have heard many, great things about you, Byakuya. Hopefully you kids will have a good time."

"Byakuya, take Sayori to your room or in the backyard and show her around the manor. Yoshimitsu and I are about to attend a meeting with the Head Captain. I better not hear of any misbehavior from you when I return."

"You either, Sayo. Be good for the Kuchikis."

"Yes Sir," both children replied. Both men waved goodbye to their children and started up the pathway. Sayori stood quietly and rocked back and forth on her heels for a few moments, waiting for Byakuya to direct her.

"Come on," he finally said, motioning with his hand. Sayori nodded and followed Byakuya down the hall to his bedroom. Sayori smiled to herself as she inhaled the scent that lingered in the air of his room. The sweet smell of cherry blossoms. She stood by a wall, getting a good look in the room while Byakuya rummaged around in his toy chest. His room was a little bigger than hers and cleaner than expected. Even though he was a member of one of the four great clans, she still expected his room to be a sty, like her older brothers. After all, that's how boys are, right? After a couple of minutes, Byakuya found what he was looking for; a red rubber ball. He bounced it a few times for good measure and stared at Sayori. "Do you know how to play dodge ball?" Sayori's face lit up. She nodded her head. Byakuya was a little surprised. He had expected her to say no. "Good, cause that's what we're gonna play. You might get a little dirty you know."

"I know."

"You won't get in trouble if you do?"

"I don't know. Probably not."

"Okay. If you say so. Come on." He walked passed her and out of the room, leading her to the backyard.

* * *

"Okay, line up against that wall over there," Byakuya instructed, pointing to the brick wall that surrounded the hind parts of the Kuchiki grounds. Sayori nodded her head and jogged over to the wall. She stood straight, back firmly pressed against the bricks. "You ready?"

"Yes!" As soon as she said it, Byakuya let the red ball fly out of his grip, aiming for her head. Sayori gasped as she ducked. The ball bounced back and Byakuya immediately threw it again. Sayori barely missed it this time, jumping to the right to avoid the hit. The ball bounced back again and on the third throw, Byakuya nailed her in the left thigh. "Ow! That hurt!" Sayori said with a slight whine and a little anger.

"It's supposed to hurt. It's dodge ball. But you can go play tea with my mother if you want to," he teased. Sayori narrowed her eyes briefly, slightly insulted.

"No. I said I want to play this game. My turn."

"No. We go to five, then we switch." Byakuya let the red ball fly out and hit Sayori in the left arm, this hit being a little harder than the last.

"Ouch!" she grimaced, grabbing her arm. He ignored her and threw it again. He missed. He threw it four more times, missing each one, but connecting on the fifth. He got her in the head. A several throws later he hit her in the head again, knocking an ornament from her hair. The last hit was right after, landing right in the middle of her stomach. "Ow!" She doubled over and grabbed where she had been hit. She looked up at Byakuya, who had a smirk on his face. It was clear that he was messing with her, obviously not wanting her as a playmate. He thought she would give up and ask to go home, or beg to play a more girl friendly game, or leave him alone for the rest of the day to go play with one of the servant girls until her father returned. Little did he know that Sayori was a little on the tomboyish side. Sure, the Hidaka princess did enjoy playing dress up and with dolls, but she also liked to play kickball and wrestle.

She slowly stood back up, and looked Byakuya dead in the eye. "My turn." Byakuya continued to smirk as he threw the ball to her and switched positions. "Ready?"

"Yeah!" _This should be easy._ Sayori smiled widely.

"Good." The girl wound up and launched the ball at the Kuchiki prince. Byakuya barely missed. He turned from the grass he was currently kneeling in and stared wide eyed at the mocha toned girl. He smile had gone and a look of pure concentration was in her eyes. "You got lucky." Her voice was cold. Serious. He narrowed his eyes as he sprung to his feet, now a little angry.

"I didn't get lucky. You got lucky!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay!" Sayori threw the ball again, with more speed and more force. It connected with Byakuya's right rib. Byakuya cried out as he grabbed his side.

"Damn!"

"Oooo! You said a naughty word. You're not supposed to say things like that."

"Shut up! I can say what I want, it's my house!" Sayori narrowed her eyes at the boy and grinded her teeth together. The atmosphere of their play date was quickly going downhill.

"Fine then! Heads up!" The ball came flying with even more speed and force, landing on the side of his face. The next throw connected as well, smacking him on the lower part of his back. She missed several of the subsequent throws but finally hit him for the fifth time when the ball landed on his other cheek. Byakuya fell to the ground from the force. Sayori felt a little guilty for being rough with him as he lay in the grass, holding onto his cheek. She dropped the ball and ran over to the wall. She knelt beside him. "Are you okay?" She reached out to touch his face, but he swatted her arm away.

"Don't touch me!" he growled at her.

"I was just trying to see if you were okay."

"I don't care. I said don't touch me!" He climbed to his knees and gave her a hard push. Sayori gasped, as she fell backward, landing hard on her rear. Byakuya glared at her and she returned the favor. "I'm not hurt! No way a girl can hurt me!"

"You're lying! You know I hurt you! You were crawling on the ground!"

"I was not!"

"Yeah you were!"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

"Shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"No, you!" Byakuya reached out and punched her in the arm. He continued to glare at her as she grimaced, grabbing her arm in pain. She bit her lip.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because you won't shut up!" He hit her again on the side of the thigh.

"Stop it!"

"No!" He hit her again in the same place on her thigh. He smiled briefly, seeing her grimace again, but the smile was soon completely wiped of his face as she reacted. Sayori released a small battle cry as she launched at Byakuya, tackling him to his back. She climbed on top of him and slapped him in his face before punching him on the other side.

"I told you to stop!" she said while slapping him again. Byakuya growled.

"Get off me!"

"No!"

"I said, get off!"

"No, stupid!" He grabbed her by the arm when she tried to hit him again and used all his strength to roll them over until he had the dominant position again. He pushed her head in the dirt, knocking even more ornaments from her hair until her head was completely naked. Sayori fought back intensely, eventually gaining the upper hand. She was able to roll them over so she was on top again. "You are a mean, stupid boy, Byakuya!"

"Not I'm not! You are mean and stupid!"

"Only a stupid person would say that! I'm a smart girl!"

"No you're not!"

"How do you know? You're stupid!"

"Shut up, Sayori!" The two continued to wrestle in the dirt and grass for quite some time, each one dirtying up their fine clothing. However, neither Byakuya or Sayori cared at the moment. Their only concern was defeating the other. It had to have been a good ten or fifteen minutes before anyone came to break up the fight. Unfortunately for them, it was their fathers.

"What th – what the hell! Byakuya!" Sojun shumpoed to the very back of the backyard where the two children continued to fight. Yoshimitsu followed. Sojun angrily grabbed his son by the collar and pulled him away from the girl. However, Yoshimitsu had to pull Sayori off of him first.

"Sayori! What has gotten into you, girl!" the Squad Five captain scolded. Sayori huffed, trying to catch her breath, as she glared at her playmate. She pointed at him.

"He started it!"

"I did not!"

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't stupid!"

"You're stupid!"

"No, you!"

"Hey, hey hey! Enough of that!" Sojun said, voice full of anger. "Byakuya, you know better than to call people names."

"And you do too Sayori. You know better." Sayori lowered her head, continuing to huff with anger and now, shame.

"I wanna go home," she said in a low quiet, voice.

"GOOD!"

"Quiet!" Byakuya groaned as his father swatted him on his already sore arm. Yoshimitsu sighed deeply. He grabbed his daughter by the hand.

"Alright. We'll go home. But you know you're in big trouble, right?" She nodded her head. Yoshimitsu sighed again. He turned to his comrade.

"I apologize for my daughter's behavior, Sojun." Sojun lifted his hand.

"No need to. I apologize for Byakuya's actions. Trust me – " he turned to look at his son, "it will not happen again." Byakuya gulped, seeing the anger in his father's eyes. _Uh oh. Oh no. _

"Maybe some other time? After they've both calmed down?"

"Yes. We'd love to have Sayori over again." The Hidaka clan leader nodded his head. He placed his hand on Sayori's back, leading her past the two hosts and back inside of the Kuchiki manor. Sojun squatted in order to be at eye level with his only child. "You crossed the line musuko. You know not to fight with anyone, much less a girl, much less a girl that's _nobility._ Have you gone insane son? Have you?"

"But chichi, she was – "

"Ah ah. I don't want to hear it Byakuya Kuchiki. I want you to go inside that house, clean up and get ready for dinner. Your mother and I will deal with you later." He hung his head.

"Hai, chichi."

"And you better believe that your grandfather well be hearing about this." Byakuya immediately lifted his head. He looked at his father with pleading eyes. Sojun shook his head. He pointed in the direction of the manor, warning his son not to protest. Byakuya sighed and walked defeated toward the manor. Sojun had to hold back an amused chuckle noticing how his confident and prideful son had suddenly gained a sense of humility.

_I hate Sayori. I really do._

_

* * *

_

Byakuya sat up in bet, stirred from his dreams. He looked groggily around his dark bedroom, trying to regain a sense of reality. That had been the third time in a week that he had seen her in his dreams. It was not unusual for him to see her but it was very unusual for him to see her that frequently. He could not help but wonder what the dreams were trying to tell him, if they were trying to tell him anything at all. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face before turning to look out the window. Dawn. It would be a few hours before he was to go to work. He decided to go in early. Work would surely take his mind off the dreams. At least, he hoped so.

* * *

**A/N:** Wooo! Chapter one is finished. Hope you enjoyed it so far.


	2. Menos to Society

_Thank you very much for the review DeucesAreWild and no, I am not dead lol. Okay well, on to chapter two of my story. We get to meet a new OC in this chapter. What role will she play? Let's see . . ._

* * *

"Iiiiiiichiiiiiiigooooooo!" Ichigo turned around and sighed deeply, annoyed. _Here we go again._ His over exited best friend, Keigo, was running down the hallway, top speed. Probably with some 'exciting' news to tell him. Ichigo sighed again as he stuck his foot out to trip the young man charging at him. "Whaaaaa!" Keigo screamed as he fell, face first, to the floor. He sprang to his feet in anger. "Hey, Ichigo! What was that for?"

"When are you ever gonna calm down, Keigo," Ichigo asked, still annoyed.

"But Ichigo, that's all a part of my personality. Don't you looove my personality?"

"God, you're annoying." Keigo folded his arms and turned the other way.

"Fine then, I won't tell you the big news then. I will just keep it all to myself."

"News? What big news?"

"We just got a new transfer student!" Ichigo shrugged his shoulders and gave his friend a 'so-what' look.

"So what? We get new students here all the time." He began to walk away. "I thought you had something big to tell me." Keigo scurried in front of him and stepped in his path.

"It is big, Ichigo! But not because she's a transfer student. It's because she's a _hot _transfer student!" Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Get out the way, Keigo." He pushed the brown haired boy to the side and continued walking down the hall. Keigo followed.

"How can you not care about this? What is wrong with you? It's not every day that we get _another_ hot girl in our class. You should be happy about this!"

"Give it a rest. You're really getting on my nerves." Ichigo slid open the door to his classroom and stepped inside. He paused. Even though the class was almost full, he was able to see the new girl immediately. She was sitting quietly at a desk, reading a magazine. Long, black hair, dark brown skin, bluish colored eyes. She wasn't the hot girl that Keigo made her seem. She was more cute than sexy, in his opinion.

"Hiiiiii! How are youuuu?" Ichigo looked a little to the left of the girl to see that Keigo was now hovering over her desk with a big smile plastered over his face. The girl smiled back.

"I'm fine. How are you?" She looked down. "Oh. I'm not in your seat am I?"

"Oh noooo! You're fine. No one sits here anyway."

"Oh? Good."

"So how long have you been here? What is your name?"

"Keigo, leave the girl alone," Ichigo said as he walked over to where they were. He took a seat in his desk, which was diagonally behind her. She turned and gave Ichigo a smile.

"Oh, don't worry. He's not bothering me. I don't mind a friendly face." Keigo stuck his tongue out at Ichigo while she was turned away.

"Yeah, Ichigo. She doesn't mind a friendly face. Unlike you, who always looks like a sour puss."

"Whatever."

"Okay class, settle down, settle down," the teacher said as she walked into the room. The students obeyed and took their seats, gradually becoming quiet. Miss Ochi opened her roll book and began to read from it. After a few moments, she looked up at the new girl. "Ah! Everyone, I am pleased to say that we have a new transfer student with us today. Setsuna, why don't you come and introduce yourself." Setsuna smiled nervously as she held up a hand.

"Naaah, that's okay."

"Aw, come on. Please? I think everyone here would like to get to know you a little more. I know I do." Setsuna hesitated, but went up to the podium in the front of the class like she had been told. She hated to be the center of attention. She cleared her throat.

"Well . . . hi. My name is Setsuna Hoyama and I am from Sapporo. I am eighteen and my favorite color is red." She paused. She looked at the ceiling to gather her thoughts. "I think that's all."

"Well it's very nice to meet you, Setsuna," Miss Ochi said as she went back to her seat. As soon as she sat down, she turned to Ichigo.

"That was embarrassing," she said, smiling. Ichigo didn't respond.

"Yes it was. I am soooo sorry," Keigo said, rubbing her back from the seat behind her. Ichigo reached out and pinched the flirtatious boy hard on his right arm. "Ow ow ow ow!"Keigo squirmed in his seat. Setsuna giggled at the boys' antics. _This looks like it's gonna be a fun year._

_

* * *

_

School went by faster than usual that day, or at least it seemed like it to Ichigo. Not that he was complaining. He was ready to head back home and catch up on a much needed nap. The day was quiet and peaceful, the perfect kind of atmosphere for sweet dreams. His father was going to be busy with clinical work all day, Karin and Yuzu were supposed to be visiting friends after school, and Rukia was in the soul society on business. Now all he had to do was find some way to shut Kon up and the house would be perfectly calm.

As he began to walk out of the school gates, he saw that Setsuna was already outside. She turned down the sideway, heading in the same direction that he was. "Oi, Setsuna! Wait up!" he called after her, jogging to catch up. Setsuna stopped and turned around. She smiled.

"Oh, hey Ichigo. What's up?"

"Nothing. I saw you were headed in my direction, so I thought I'd walk with you."

"Aw, that's nice. I could use some company, haha." Ichigo nodded as they continued walking.

"You know, I've never had a first day like the one I had here. There are a lot of very interesting people in your school." Setsuna giggled. "That boy, what's his name again . . . oh, Keigo, kept hitting on me all day in every class." Ichigo shook his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Keigo can get that way sometimes. He's an idiot."

"Oh I didn't mind. I thought it was kinda cute, actually. Nice."

"Did you get the chance to meet any _sane_ people? I don't want you to get the wrong idea about the people in our school." She giggled again.

"Let's see . . . well, I met a guy, I think his name was Chad – "

"Yeah. Chad's cool."

"Yeah, he is. He showed me around and helped me out some. Then this girl named Orihime invited me to sit with her and her friends at lunch. She was really nice. She even offered me some of her lunch, but it didn't look too good, so I said no."

"Yeah, Orihime has terrible taste in food."

"I noticed."

"So did you have a lot of friends at your old school?"

"Yeah, I was a little popular at my old school."

"So why did you move?"

"Mmm, change of scenery. I don't know. It was just something about this place that drew me here. Hell, I was ready to get out of Sapporo anyway. The rent is too damn high over there, ha ha." Ichigo smirked. The two fell silent for a few moments. The sound of metal jingling caught his ear. He looked down to see a charm bracelet around her wrist. He let out a silent whistle as the diamond jewels incrusted in them reflected the sun. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the bracelet had three charms on it; the letter 'S', a bunny rabbit, and what looked to be some sort of crest or insignia. Setsuna looked up to see why he was so quiet, and noticed him looking at the charm. "Like it?" she asked, holding her wrist toward his face so he could get a better view.

"Looks expensive."

"I'm sure it was. I was told it was a gift my grandmother gave me before she died."

"Cool grandmother." Setsuna laughed. They both stopped at a stop sign.

"Well, I'm headed this direction," Setsuna said, pointing toward her right. "You know, I'd invite you to come over, but my place looks a mess."

"Don't worry about it. I need to be heading home anyway."

"Well it was nice meeting you and talking with you, Ichigo." She reached out and gave him a big hug, which surprised him a little. "Thank you for walking with me."

"No problem." He watched walk away, waving back as she briefly turned to say goodbye one more.

* * *

"Where have you been? I've been bored all damn day here by myself. I had no one to talk to since nee-san isn't here." Ichigo sighed deeply before shutting the door to his room. _Here he goes._

"I was busy, Kon." The plush tiger stood on the bed and put his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You were probably busy out having fun _without_ me!"

"Give it a rest, Kon. And move over. I'm beat."

"Oh yeah, because school is _soooo _hard. Quit being lazy you bum!"

"I said move!" Ichigo grabbed Kon by the head and threw him against the closet door. Kon jumped to his feet and raised his fist in anger.

"You jerk! How dare you throw me like that! Oh, I need nee-san here to comfort me. Neeeeee-saaaan. Why did you have to go? Neeee-saaaan."

"Shut up Kon!"

"Oh neeee-saaan!"

"I said shut up!" Ichigo threw a book that was on the nightstand and hit Kon in the back of the head, silencing him. Ichigo sighed deeply, relieved that the mod soul had heeded his warnings. He laid down and began to relax. He was just nearing the edge of reality and dream world when his soul reaper badge began to sound. He sat up in bed, glaring at the item glowing on his nightstand. "Greeeaaat." He grabbed the badge and quickly transformed before jumping out the window.

Ichigo quickly followed the path that the badge took him, noticing that the closer he got to the hollows, the higher the spiritual pressure rose. _Considering the amount of spiritual pressure must be a lot of them. Fifteen? Twenty?_ He quickly realized that he was wrong when he finally arrived at his destination. There were indeed more than one hollow, but they were not rank and file hollows. Ichigo stared at his six foes with wide eyes. "Menos grandes." _What are they doing here?_

Ichigo removed Zangetsu from his holster and sprung into action. He placed his hand over his face and summoned his hollow mask. He flew over to the lead Menos and cut off its head. The next one, he split down the middle. He continued to fight the high powered hollows for several minutes until all had disappeared. Just when he had turned to head back home, more Menos appeared from Hueco Mundo from the garganta. Ichigo turned and stared wide eyed. "What the hell is going on?" The orange haired shinigami dodged the ceros being blasted at him and sliced the three Menos that stood in front of him. He stared at the place where the garganta had been, waiting to see if more Menos would appear. After deciding that the coast was finally clear, he returned home.

* * *

"Hmmm, it is quite odd that Menos would be appearing here so frequently. Quite strange indeed, even for Karakura town," Urahara said as Ichigo sat across from him in his shop the following day after school. It had been the second consecutive day that Ichigo had to fight the Menos Grande that had appeared from Hueco Mundo. "I don't know what could be causing their appearance."

"You think Aizen has something to do with this?" Ichigo suggested.

"No." Ichigo looked down at Yoruichi, who was resting comfortably in his lap. "If this had been the work of Aizen, he would have sent Espada, not Menos. I'm sure he has figured out that Menos are pretty useless at this point.

"Then again, Aizen could be testing the waters for an all out attack," Urahara suggested. "Or he could be using them as a distraction of some sort. Who knows? But I wouldn't be so quick to rule out Aizen so quickly."

"Well whatever or whoever is doing this must have some sort of strategy," Ichigo said. "The Menos keep appearing in the same place." Urahara lifted the brim of his hat slightly.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They keep showing up downtown, where the old warehouse used to be. Why would they be over there?"

"There's no telling. I will investigate the matter and see what's up."

"And I'll go to the Soul Society tomorrow to see if I can find out any information," Yoruichi said, yawning and stretching her feline frame.

"Good. Thanks." Ichigo stood up from the table and walked out of the room and the shop. As he walked back home, he still tried to figure out what the Menos were after and why were they there. Rukia would be back the next day. Hopefully she would have some answers.

* * *

**A/N:** _Another chapter in the books! Hoped y'all liked it and sorry for any typos there may have been. So what information will Rukia have/not have? We'll have to wait and see . . ._


	3. Karakura City Limits

**Thank you to all who have reviewed/alerted/favorited my story. I really appreciate it.**

** Deuces: **Thank you so much. Hopefully I will be updating them soon, since the writing bug has bitten me again lol. However, unlike with this fic, I'm still unsure which direction I want to go in with some of them. I'm in the process of updating Healing though, so be on the lookout ;)

** Sashimi: **Thanks!

**Yuuki: **I'm glad you liked it! Long time no see! I got to head back over to your page soon and check out your work, lol.

_Whoooo! Chapter 3! I'm already making better progress than in some of my other stories, lol. Well, I decided to start of the new year with a new chapter. So what will go down in this one? Well, let's see:_

* * *

**Chapter Three: Karakura City Limits  
**

"HAHAHA! What? What did you say?" Byakuya stared at the blue haired beauty, annoyed as she clutched her stomach tightly; it beginning to ache from laughing so hard. Byakuya sighed deeply as he looked down at his hands.

"Sen – Senbonzakura," he repeated. As soon as the last syllable was uttered, Sayori erupted into laughter once more.

"You gotta be kiddin' me! Your zanpakuto's name is Senbonzakura? You? Mr. Macho? Mr. Ego? You have a girly sounding zanpakuto? Get outta here!"

"Shut up! It's not girly."

"Really, Byakuya? It's not? 'A thousand cherry blossoms' does not sound like a girl zanpakuto to you?"

"No, it does not."

"Are you for real? You must be smokin' somethin' serious." The two young nobles sat at an outside bench table right outside of the Shinigami Academy bookstore. They often met up here after they had finished with their classes for the day.

"I'm not smoking anything. You are one who's full of shit."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then. Cho! Hey, Cho! 'Mere for a sec!" Sayori began to call out to Cho Hidaka, who was walking toward the food court with two books tucked under her arm. Cho, who had also been blessed with the signature Hidaka clan cerulean eyes, stopped and began to walk over to her first cousin. She set the books on the table.

"Yeah? What's up?" She sat on the table between the two.

"Let me ask you somethin'. If someone were to tell you that the name of their zanpakuto was Senbonzakura, would you think its master was a boy, or would you think it was a girl?"

"Mmm . . . it sounds more like a girl's zanpakuto to me." Sayori clapped her hands in victory and pointed at the Kuchiki heir.

"Aha! See I told you!" Byakuya rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"Aw, don't be gettin' mad – Byakuya-bo." He glared daggers at Sayori's grinning face.

"You know I hate it when that damn demon cat calls me that, so don't you start either." Sayori giggled again before responding with a sarcastic pout. Cho bounced her eyes between them.

"Did I miss something? You two are acting even more retarded today."

"I've been tryin' to tell Kuchiki-dono over here that his zanpakuto has a real feminine soundin' name, but he ain't wanna listen to me." Cho's eyebrows lifted and her blue eyes widened with understanding.

"Ohhh. I see, so your sword is named Senbonzakura." She smiled. "I didn't know you were able to release your sword. Congratulations." Byakuya smirked. He turned to look at his best friend, emphasizing his next few words.

"Thank you, Cho-chan." Sayori simply rolled her eyes and shook her head. The blue haired Hidaka princess looked over her shoulder at the books her black haired cousin had placed on the table earlier.

"What classes are these for, Cho?" She read the titles of each one; _Kido: Mastery of Incantations of Fifty and Above _and _Getting to Know Your Zanpakuto._

"Oh, they're not really for any class. Zi Shihoin recommended that I read them since Kimi no Shini is still kind of new to me. I don't really know how to handle him yet."

"Kimi no Shini? Is that the name of your zanpakuto?" Byakuya asked. Sayori had told him that she was able to manifest her zanpakuto two weeks prior. This fact gave Byakuya a little extra push to manifest Senbonzakura. He simply couldn't let these Hidaka princesses best a Kuchiki prince. No way, no how.

"Yeah."

"Yep! Kimi no Shini; the Prince of Death. See Byakuya, now THAT's the name of a zanpakuto. Not some ol' flower child name, like Senbonzakura." Sayori giggled even more as he flipped her off. She loved to tease him.

"So what is your zanpakuto like, Cho-chan?" Cho grinned from ear to ear.

"He's really sweet. He acts like a real prince too. He does get a little frustrated sometimes because I am having a hard time learning his abilities, but he's patient."

"I haven't really gotten to know Senbonzakura yet. Then again, I did just manifest him two days ago." Cho nodded her head. She then turned to her cousin, who was flipping through the pages of _Kido: Mastery of Incantations of Fifty and Above._

"Have you been able to manifest your zanpakuto yet, Sayo?" Sayori shook her head, continuing to look at the book.

"Nah. Nothin' seems to be comin' together with him or her. My zanpakuto is a stubborn one." Byakuya looked over at the girl.

"No, your zanpakuto isn't stubborn. You're just not skilled enough to call it out. Don't lie."

"Well I do know one thing. When I finally do manifest my zanpakuto, it won't have some sissy name like Senbonzakura."

"At least I _have_ a zanpakuto."

"Yeah, a _girly_ zanpakuto."

"Sayori, you are – "

"Okay, okay!" Cho interrupted, waving her hands between the two. She had a feeling their friendly, competitive banter was going to turn into a real fight soon. Byakuya had a very short fuse and Sayori didn't know when to quit sometimes. _Seriously, why are they best friends again?_ Sayori playfully winked at the agitated male before returning her attention to the book. Just as she was about to turn to the next page, a piece of paper slipped out between the latter ones. She reached down and picked it up.

"Ay, Cho. What's this?" A look of horror played across Cho's pretty, mocha face.

"No, wait! Don't –" It was too late. Sayori smiled a huge, Cheshire cat like smile as she looked at the paper that was covered in doodles of hearts, suns, kisses, and a huge message in the middle.

"Cho-chan and Uki-chan forever." She immediately turned around. "Ahhh! You like Ukitake-taicho? I didn't know that!" Cho's eyes darted around, sincerely hoping that no one but the three of them had heard her outburst.

"Shhh! Shut up, Sayo!" Byakuya squinched his face.

"You like him? Eww, he's old enough to be our father. In fact, he friends _with_ our fathers. Not to mention that he has tuberculosis."

"So," Sayori said, "he's still hot. I like Kyoraku-taicho too."

"But all _he_ does is drink sake and chase women."

"He's still hooot."

"So is Aizen-fukutaicho," Cho added. Sayori shook her head.

"I don't know about him. He seems kinda nerdy. Not my style. I like my men sexy, with long hair." Cho grinned and pointed toward Byakuya.

"Like him?" Sayori scoffed.

"Please, I said sexy. And I said _men_."

"That's it Sayori! Let's go!" Byakuya sprang from his seat and drew his wooden sword. The students who had already manifested their zanpakuto were not allowed to carry them on school grounds.

"You are such a tool. I'm not about to fight you."

"Why? Are you afraid that I'll whoop you?"

"Nooo, I'm afraid that _I'll_ whoop _you_." Byakuya's left eye began to twitch, with anger.

"Idiot. You can't beat me, you can't even summon your zanpakuto. There's no way that you can beat me."

"Byakuya, come on, now. I am a member of the Hidaka clan. My father was the Kidōshū Sōshi. My brother is the current Fuku Kidōchō. Byakuya, I just spent the last fifteen minutes readin' this book!" She waved the kido book for emphasis. "So don't try me, Kuchiki-dono. I don't want you to embarrass yourself." Byakuya grinded his teeth. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that there was some merit to her warning. It was a well known fact that the majority of the Hidaka nobles were extremely skilled in kido. Many clan leaders had gone on to become the commander or lieutenant of the Kido Corps. Sayori was indeed quite good at the magical arts, but he highly doubted that she was as good as she claimed.

"Bring it on then," Byakuya insisted. He threw the sword down and lifted his hand in front of him. He pointed his index and middle fingers toward Sayori. She looked up from the book.

"What are you doin'?"

_"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of –"_

"Bakudo 1, Sai!" Instantly, Byakuya's hands flew behind his back, restrained by the invisible force of the kido. He fell to his knees, then to the ground.

"What the hell! Sayori, let me go!"

"No way! Not 'till you calm down."

"I'll calm down when you stop being a bitch!"

"Yeah, cause that's gonna make me break the spell even faster. What an intelligent young man you are, Kuchiki-dono."

"Why you –"

"Hado 1, Sho!" The binding caused by the bakudo spell immediately broke after Cho uttered the hado spell's name. Byakuya growled as he climbed off the ground and walked back over to his seat. Sayori expected him to lash out at her, but he just sat there beside her, pouting. Cho grabbed her book from Sayori and tucked both under her arm. She hopped off the table and stood in front of the two, giving them stern looks.

"You guys need to calm down. If one of the teachers had seen us, we'd been in huge trouble. Why don't you guys just make out already and get it over with." A pair of cerulean eyes and a pair of grey eyes widened.

"WHAT?" they simultaneously asked. Cho put a hand on her hip.

"You heard me. You know you like each other. That's why you are always getting on each other's nerves. It's like some weird, passionate game you two play. Maybe if you'd just kiss already, you could end it and get some maturity." The slightly older girl turned on her heels and walked away. Sayori and Byakuya stared blankly into the space in front of them.

* * *

"Taicho. Taicho? Taicho!"

"Don't yell, Renji. I heard you the first time." Byakuya lifted his head from his desk and met the face of the Squad Six lieutenant. Renji dropped his shoulders.

"My apologies, Kuchiki-taicho. I thought you were asleep."

"How foolish, Renji. I never fall asleep on the job. I was simply meditating." He knew that was a lie, but he could only hope his lieutenant bought the farce. However, from the look in his eyes, Byakuya wasn't so sure that he did. He sighed, closing his eyes. "Was there something that you needed?"

"Uh . . . yeah. The head captain wants all of the captains to report to Squad One's barracks for an urgent meeting." Byakuya nodded his head before standing.

"Very well. Thank you for the information, Abarai-fukutaicho."

"No problem."

Byakuya stopped by the kitchen in the barracks of Squad Six before heading over to the captain's meeting. He drank two cups of tea, hoping that the caffeine would give him some brief energy, since he had been up all night, plagued with dreams of his former best friend. _I have not seen Sayori in almost thirty years. Why is she coming to my dreams so much lately? It makes absolutely no sense. _

"Oi, Kuchiki-taicho." Byakuya turned around to see that it was the Squad Eight captain, Shunsui Kyoraku, who had addressed him. He was standing beside his lieutenant.

"Kyoraku-taicho. Ise-fukutaicho."

"Good morning, Kuckiki-taicho," Nanao replied.

"Kuchiki-taicho, your reiatsu is off today. Is everything alright? Something seems to be bothering you." Byakuya pursed his lips together. Shunsui was a very intuitive man. And while it was a great asset to him on the battlefield, it was an annoyance off of it. Byakuya turned around.

"I'm fine." He continued walking. He heard Shunsui whisper something to Nanao. He then heard the Squad Eight lieutenant shunpo away. "So, do you know why the captain commander has called this meeting? My lieutenant said it was important." Shunsui shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. However, it really must be important considering that we just had a meeting with Yama-jii yesterday. Maybe he found some dirt on Aizen."

"Perhaps."

"Then again, it might be about what's been going on in Karakura Town lately." Byakuya glanced over his shoulder.

"Karakura Town?"

"Yeah. Jushiro told me about it. Rukia told him that Ichigo has been having to fight a high level of Menos Grande ever since a few days ago."

"It is not unusual for Menos to appear there. That town contains a high amount of spiritual pressure."

"True, but it is unusual for Menos to keep appearing in the same spot and at the amount of numbers that have been reported. According to Jushiro, Ichigo and his friends encountered seventeen just this morning."

"You are right. That is unusual."

"Yeah it is. Your sister left late last night to help them." _So, that's why Rukia didn't come home last night. I thought she was out with Abarai again. Good._

"I'm sure Kurosaki, Rukia, and those humans can handle the situation." The two captains walked through the doors of the Squad One meeting room. They were the last to arrive. They took their respective places and waited for the head captain to speak.

"I have called this meeting to order to inform you all of a phenomenon that has been occurring recently in the world of the living. There has been an usually high number of Menos appearing lately in Karakura Town. Reports are that the Menos seem to be centered in one place, which is also highly unusual. The substitute shinigami and Rukia Kuchiki are currently handling the matter; however, if things get worse, I will dispatch the Squad 10 captain and lieutenant as well. Kurotsuchi-taicho, I want you to do some research on the area. Try and see if there is anything in particular that is drawing the Menos." Mayuri nodded his head. "Also, try to find out if this has anything to do with Aizen."

"Not a problem."

"Ukitake-taicho, I want you to place a temporary barrier over the area in order to stop the Menos from causing any more harm."

"Hai, sensei."

"Good. To all the rest of you, just remain on alert. We have yet to determine how big this problem is and I don't want to take any chances. This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

"I think we've cleared the area of the Menos for the time being," Rukia said as she watched Ichigo finish getting ready for school. "I just got a text from Renji saying that Ukitake-taicho put a barrier over the area to hold back the Menos." Ichigo sighed.

"Good. At least I can get a break for a while." He looked over at Rukia who had sprawled out across his bed, making herself more comfortable. She was still in her PJs. "Are you going to school as well?" She shook her head.

"Nah. I told Ochi-san that my family would be on vacation for three days. I'm still supposed to be in the Soul Society, remember? I'm taking a day off. You handle everything." She tossed the soul reaper badge to him. Ichigo smirked.

"Being lazy, I see. Not very befitting of a Kuchiki noble. Byakuya wouldn't improve."

"Shut up. Leave nii-sama out of this."

"Whatever. I'm running late anyway. Catch you later." Rukia waved as he left.

* * *

"Everyone, I have the results back from your last quiz," Ms. Ochi said, waving a stack of papers. "I have to say that I was pretty unimpressed by what I saw. Nevertheless, it is only a fraction of your grade, so consider yourselves lucky." She began maneuvering through the rows, passing them out. "However, I highly recommend that those of you who received less than a B study very hard before the test Friday. Remember, this test counts for twenty percent of the final grade." Ichigo looked over to see what his friends had gotten; an 'A' for Uryu, a 'D' for Orihime, a 'B' for Chad, a 'B' for Mizurio. When he finally received his paper, he saw that he had gotten a 'C'. _Great._ After Setsuna received hers, he stretched his neck to peek. She had gotten a hundred percent. _Damn._

"Damn." He immediately looked around, hoping that no one had heard his slip of the tongue. No one had heard except for the one it was directed at. Setsuna turned in her chair and smiled.

"I'm kinda surprised too," she said. "I thought I had missed a couple. What did you get, Ichigo-kun?"

"A 'C'."

"Oh? Well, you passed."

"Alright, alright everyone that's enough chatter. We still have a lesson today in case you have forgotten. So everyone open your books to chapter six." Ichigo and Setsuna did as they were told and turned their math books to the right page. Ichigo was following along with the lesson when a folded piece of paper landed on the book. He looked up towards the direction it came from, but Setsuna had already turned back around. He opened it up:

_Hey, do you wanna study with me this afternoon?_

_Huh? Well, I really shouldn't since that Menos problem hasn't be solved yet. Then again, Ukitake-san did put up a barrier. Oh, what the hell._ Ichigo smirked before picking up his pencil. He scribbled 'yeah' on the paper and tossed it back. Setsuna smiled when she read it, but did not turn around. She gave him the thumbs up.

* * *

"That's pretty awesome of you to offer to help me study," Ichigo said as he and Setsuna walked down the sidewalk, headed toward her place. They had just gotten off the No. Five bus that lead to the other side of town. Setsuna smiled.

"Oh, it's not a problem. You are my friend, after all."

"Yeah." Ichigo looked around him as he walked beside her. He had been to this side of Karakura Town before, however not that often. It was a lower class, more poverty stricken area of the city. Not quite the slums, but definitely far from suburbia. "Wow, you live quite a ways from school. Until I rode the bus with you today, I always thought that you walked there." Setsuna looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, it is a ways away, but unfortunately, this is all I can afford at the time. Still, it's an upgrade from my old place in Sapporo. It's kinda tough living on your own, ya know? Ichigo's eyes widened a bit.

"You don't live with your parents?"

"No. I never knew my parents. I think I saw them once when I was really little, but the memory is all a blur. I don't know any of my kin, really. I'm a nomad, haha." Ichigo could tell that the laugh and smile weren't genuine. It was almost as if she was trying to mask her true emotions. Maybe she felt angry or sad or abandoned. Whatever it was, the smile could not hide what she truly felt and he picked up on it immediately. "We're here!" Setsuna proclaimed, drawing him out of his thoughts. She took her backpack off her shoulder and began to look around for the key. As she rummaged around, Ichigo took a moment to notice the surroundings of their destination. It was the old industrial district of Karakura Town, close to where the old warehouse was. Ichigo looked around cautiously, trying to sense any Menos that may have been in the area. It seemed as if Captain Ukitake's barrier was upholding well.

"Ichigo-kun? You alright?"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked down to see Setsuna's blue eyes staring at him with concern. He forced a smile and put a hand behind his head. "Oh, it's nothing. I – I was just thinking about something is all."

"Oh. Oh, okay." The two teenagers walked inside.

The apartment was a basic studio apartment with a separate, tiny bathroom. Ichigo sat down on Setsuna's futon, which was the only available seating. She sat beside him. The two began to study their math assignments when a loud noise came blaring from outside. Ichigo stiffened. _Menos Grande! But . . . but how the hell did they break the barrier? I have to go – but how do I . . .?_

" – Ugh, there it is again." Ichigo jerked his head.

"What?"

"That noise outside? It does this everyday around this time. Must be some const-

"Wait, Setsuna-chan! You can hear that?" Setsuna looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yeaaah. It is pretty loud, Ichigo-kun. Don't worry, it usually quits after a while." Ichigo continued to stare at her dumbfounded. He began to sweat. The Menos sound was getting louder which meant that they were almost out of the broken barrier. He had to change and he had to change quickly.

"Setsuna-chan, can I use your bathroom real quick?" Setsuna narrowed her eyes at him. _Why is he acting so strange?_

"Y – yeah. Go ahead." Ichigo scrambled to his feet and quickly transformed into a soul reaper. He jumped out of the bathroom window and hurried to the Menos. There were eight. _Damn!_

"Ichigo!" He turned his head to see that Rukia was shunpoing over to his direction.

"Rukia!"

"I got here as fast as I could. I spoke with Ukitake-taicho a while ago. It seems as if the Menos are being drawn toward a strong spiritual force in the area. However, whatever is emitting the spiritual pressure, has hidden their reiatsu well enough that the Menos can't pin point the exact location as to where they are; only a general area."

"What?"

"Yeah. But, I wonder what could be emitting such a reiatsu?" And then it clicked. He knew. He finally knew what the Menos were after. He finally knew why they had begun to show up the same day Keigo made his big announcement.

* * *

_Gee, he's been in there a long time. Does he have the runs or something? Hope not. _Setsuna put down the math book she'd been reading and walked over to the bathroom door. She knocked. "Ichigo-kun? Is everything alright in there?" No answer. She knocked again. "Ichigo!" No answer. She began to get concerned. She noticed that the door was unlocked. "I'm coming in, okay?" She hid her eyes behind her hand and slowly opened the door. She screamed loudly when she saw Ichigo's body lying on the white, tiled floor. "Ichigo!" She ran over to him, pulling his head into her lap. "Ichigo? Ichigo! Say something!" She ran to the phone and called the paramedics. Soon after, she began to perform CPR, per their instructions. "Come on Ichigo! . . . Wake up! . . . Ichigo! . . . Help! Someone please help! Help me please!"

"What's that?" Ichigo turned away from the Menos he was fighting and looked over at Rukia, who was staring in the opposite direction, toward the Earth.

"What's what?"

"That noise. Someone's in the area calling for help." Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No, wait! Rukia!" He quickly slayed the last two Menos and tried his best to catch up with her, but to no avail. Rukia pushed the door open to Setsuna's home and slowly walked inside. Setsuna heard her footsteps and called out to her.

"Oh, thank Kami! Please hurry! I'm in the bathroom!" Without a second thought, Rukia ran over to the bathroom to help. When she got there, she stood frozen in place. It was if _she_ was the one who had seen a ghost. Setsuna looked up at her, still cradling Ichigo's body in her arms, glad to finally see some help. "Please help him. He's been like this for over ten minutes."

"Se – Setsuna?" Setsuna narrowed her tear stained eyes.

"What? How do you know my name?"

"Is that really you? Setsuna? Setsuna Hidaka?" She began to get angry.

"Why are you just standing there? Please help Ichigo! He could be dying!"

"No – no, I'm . . . right here." A loud gasp escaped Setsuna as Ichigo appeared behind Rukia, an apologetic look plastered on his face. She darted her eyes frantically between him and his body. Her body began to tremble with both confusion and fear.

"Wh – what the h –"

She was not able to finish her question. The world became black before she had the chance.

* * *

**A/N:** _And the drama antes up here, lol. Hoped you all liked it and the way the story is progressing so far. I promise there is tons more drama to come so stay tuned. Thanks for reading! :)_


	4. You Don't Know My Name

_Thanks again to those who reviewed/favorited/alerted this fic. I appreciate it._

_**Deuces**: Thank you! As long as I have time and material, there will be updates lol._

_**Yuuki**: Well, I know at least one of your questions will be answered in this chapter. I don't know about the rest though, lol. I'm glad you like it so far :D_

_Hello everyone! Hope everything has been well so far in this new year. I just started back school -_-. Only three more semesters before I graduate! :). So what will be revealed in this chapter. Let's take a peak ;) _

* * *

**Chapter Four: You Don't Know My Name  
**

The Hidaka manor was vast, beautiful, and one of the more modern manors amongst the noble families. The grounds took up a considerable amount of acreage and had many lakes, ponds and streams. One of the most popular spots on the lands was the large memorial garden. The garden was erected several centuries prior, in honor of the clan's fifth leader, who was considered to be the greatest leader the clan had ever had. It was peaceful and beautiful. It was also where Cho Hidaka liked to spend most of her free time, in order to relax and get away from pressing clan business. However, today was not that case. Today, clan business interfered with her sacred getaway. But in this instance, she didn't mind in the least.

"And, what did you say your last name was again?" The man bowed before the sixteenth clan leader.

"Kuchiki, Cho-sama." Cho smiled as she looked at the young couple in front of her.

"Ahhh. Kuchiki, huh? Well, it seems like the Kuchikis and Shihoins have a strong effect on the Hidaka women. Very well then. I approve of this marriage, Bai. Seeing as how the Hidaka clan has traditionally served the Kuchiki family, I'd be hard pressed to say no. Besides, you seem like a very nice man." Bai-Lin Chang stood up and gave her first cousin a big hug.

"Ah! Thank you so much, itoko-sama! I really love him! Honestly, I do!" Cho giggled, hugging Bai-Lin back.

"I can tell. Congratulations. I'll see you two in a few weeks." Bai-Lin nodded her head and grabbed her fiancé by the hand. She scurried down the pathway leading out the garden, pulling him along with her. Cho couldn't help but chuckle at the slightly younger girl. She always was the hopeless romantic. She shook her head.

"Ahhh, was that young Bai-sama, Cho-dono?" Cho turned around to see that one of the Hidaka elders had come to join her in the garden. She grinned.

"Yes. Yes, it was. She came seeking my approval for marriage. It seems as if she has become smitten with a young man from the Kuchiki house." The elder's eyes lit up.

"Splendid. You know, if we continue to marry off our men and women to the nobles of the four great clans, perhaps we'll gain enough status to become the fifth house."

"Perhaps." He nodded his head. He did not leave. "Was there something you wanted?" The elder nodded his head before quickly bowing.

"Yes, Cho-dono. It is requested that you grace us with your presence at the meeting that was to being at eight. The elders have already arrived." She nodded her head.

"Yes, that's right. I was supposed to meet with the elders today, wasn't I? I apologize. It's just that I haven't seen Bai-Lin in so long."

"Quite understandable, m'lady. But – if you would –" Cho nodded and held up her hand.

"I'm on my way." The elder quickly bowed once more before walking away. Cho sighed deeply and stared at the Sakura trees whipping in the light, calm breeze. _So much for a peaceful afternoon._

* * *

"Good evening everyone. I apologize for keeping you waiting, but now I'm here." Cho sat down on an ornate pillow across from five of the seven Hidaka clan elders in the meeting room of the estate. "So what is the matter at hand?"

"Cho-dono, the biggest order of business on the agenda concerns the future heir of the Hidaka clan." Cho cringed upon hearing the words leave the Senior Elder's lips. They had brought up the issue of an heir before, but dropped the subject upon her repeated insistence that they did. Now it seemed as if they were back to their old habits.

"Listen, I –"

"Hold on a moment before you protest. Yes, we know that you are still very young for a clan leader and that you have plenty of time to birth children. However, the time you have for choosing a suitor is dwindling down much faster."

"With all due respect, that's crazy, I still have plenty of time to choose my husband as well."

"Correct. You do. However . . . the Kuchiki men prefer to marry their women at a young age. As do the Shihoin men –" Cho rolled her eyes. She looked over at the elder who had come to get her earlier. He sunk down in his seat a little, trying to avoid the 254 year old woman's beautiful, blue eyes boring holes into him.

" – Oh, so this is what this is about, huh? You want me to marry a Shihoin or a Kuchiki so the status of the clan will elevate. Is that what you all want? Huh? For me to marry a man from the four great clans?"

"No, m'lady, nothing of the sort," the Senior Elder said, trying to calm her down. "It's simply the fact that we think that the men from these clans have the most befitting traits for the Hidaka clan leader."

"Basically, we don't want you to marry anyone that would shame us," another elder chimed in. Cho shook her head.

"I don't know." The Senior Elder sighed deeply.

"Listen . . . m'lady . . . we would not continue to press this issue if we had some reassuring signs that you were taking the matter as seriously as we are. We have yet to see you court a man the entire time you have been leader. Now, traditionally, the Hidaka clan does not arrange marriages. However, if the elders deem that it is in the clan's best interest for us to do so, then you better believe that we will do it."

"Now you stop right there. Nobody is _arranging_ any marriages for me. If I marry, it will be for love. I will not be forced into it."

"But, seriously, you must see the dilemma that we are in, Cho-dono. If anything bad were to happen to you, there is no legal successor to the throne. Saiyuchi's three daughters cannot ascend to the throne because they bear the surname 'Chang' and not the family surname. You have no siblings or children to pass the title to. And Yoshimitsu's three children cannot become leaders due to the fact that two are now dead, and the third was excommunicated from the family. Honestly, we are between a rock and a hard place right now." Cho bit her lip and balled her fists together to try to calm down. She closed her eyes before beginning to speak.

"Believe me, I do understand the problem. I am no idiot. However, I will not be pressured into marriage by anyone. I will step down as clan leader if you all should decide to arrange a marriage for me. In other words, you would be left without an heir regardless. Furthermore, I will do my duty and produce an offspring in order to maintain the status of the clan, but I will do so at the time of my own choosing. Have I made myself clear?" All of the elders present nodded their heads.

"Yes, Cho-dono we do understand," the Senior Elder said. "However, if we deem that you are not making any progress after a certain period of time, then we will have to result to other measures." Cho did not acknowledge the elder with a 'yes' or a 'no'. He took this reaction as a hint that they had better end the meeting shortly if they knew what was good for them. Indeed, the Senior Elder did call an end for the meeting. Cho stared coldly at the elders as they, one by one, they left the room.

"Wow, that was interesting. Being clan leader is rather troublesome isn't it?" Startled, Cho jerked her head around, trying to see where the voice came from. She calmed down drastically after seeing that it was only the shinigami with the light hair. She smirked.

"Well, well. I haven't seen you in quite some time." The shinigami smirked as well.

"Likewise. A little over ten years, I'd bet."

"Mmm, something like that." She stood and turned around to face him fully. "What brings you by?" The light haired man's smile grew.

"I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have some juicy information that you might want to hear." Cho cocked a brow.

"Really? Is that right?" He nodded his head.

"Yes, it is right." He chuckled. "However, I suggest you sit down first before I tell you."

* * *

Setsuna felt like she had been hit in the head with a mallet when she gradually began to come to. _Ugh, what happened? Did I just black out?_ Ever so slowly, she opened her eyes and saw two individuals hovering over her bed. Their faces held both relief, questions, and concern. Then, like an ocean wave, everything that had happened earlier came flooding back to her memory. She sat up in bed. "You!" She pointed at Rukia. "You knew my name. What the hell are you doing here? Who are you?"

"Glad to see that you're finally awake." Setsuna turned to Ichigo, who now had a very calm expression on his face. Setsuna narrowed her eyes at him.

"I could say the same for you too. How could you scare me like that, Ichigo-kun?" She looked at both of them. "What are you two anyway? Ghosts?" Rukia narrowed her eyes as well.

"What do you mean, 'what are we'? We're soul reapers, just like you." Setsuna looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Soul reaper? What is a _soul reaper_? I have no idea what you're talking about. How can I be something that I don't know anything about?"

"Yes you do. You _are_ a soul reaper, Setsuna."

"Nooo. I am not."

"Are you joking?" Rukia threw up her hands, beginning to get angry. "You are a soul reaper from the Soul Society! You used to serve in the thirteenth division with me!" Rukia could tell that nothing was beginning to click. "Your best friend was a part of Squad Eight!" Setsuna shook her head. She still did not understand. Rukia sighed deeply. "Don't you remember me? Rukia Kuchiki? Or my brother, Byakuya? Surely you can remember _him_. My brother and your sister used to be good friends."

"Sister?"

"Yes! Sayori Shihoin! Don't you remember her?"

"Rukia! Stop!" Ichigo grabbed the frustrated woman by the arm, trying to get her to settle down. "I really don't think she remembers."

"I don't know anyone named Rukia or Byakuya or Sayori. I don't know what you're talking about!" Rukia's breath hitched in shock. She could not believe that Setsuna could not remember anyone, considering how close she had been to them. How close they had been to each other. The two women continued to stare at each other for a few moments, neither knowing what to say to the other. Ichigo sighed.

"Set – Setsuna-chan . . . how long have you been able to see spirits?" he asked, trying his best to cool the tension between the two. Setsuna turned to him before looking down at her hands.

"I don't know. Ever since I can remember I have been able to see them. I just never told anyone. I didn't want people thinking that I'm crazy." Ichigo chuckled.

"Trust me. I know plenty of people who won't think that you're crazy." Setsuna cocked her head, confused. "Chad, Uryu, and Orihime can all see spirits too. So can my little sister Karin, but you haven't met her yet."

"That makes sense. I can tell that those three have above average spiritual pressure. I could feel it in Tatsuki and Keigo as well. Honestly, I could tell it in you too when we first met, Ichigo-kun. Guess I now know why, huh?"

"You have immense spiritual pressure as well, Setsuna," Rukia added. "That's why those Menos were after you." Setsuna cocked her head in confusion again.

"Menos?" Rukia sighed and ran a palm over her face.

"Don't tell me that you have forgotten about Menos too? They're upper level hollows."

"Hollows?"

"My God, Setsuna!" Rukia reached behind her and out of nowhere, pulled out a writing pad and a black marker. She began to scribble on the paper.

"Oh no," Ichigo said to himself, fully aware of what was about to happen. Setsuna looked at him.

"What? What is it?"

"You'll see."

"There! Done!" Rukia turned the notebook around so Setsuna could see her drawings. On one side of the paper, there was a happy looking rabbit, surrounded by sparkles. On the other side, there was an angry looking bear, surrounded by dark clouds and lightning bolts. "This," she pointed to the bunny "is a plus. Pluses are good spirits that have no murderous intent. You know, like me and Ichigo." She then pointed to the bear. "Now this is a hollow. Hollows are evil spirits whose only mission in life is to kill and eat souls. They are the bad guys." She turned to the next page, completely ignoring a matching pair of disbelieving looks. On the second page was another bear, dressed as a Menos Grande. "Now these are Menos. These are the Gillian class of Menos. They are made up of a whole bunch of hollows that have come together as one. A hollow soup, if you would. These hollows are especially strong and are quite tough to defeat. Now on to the Adjuchas –"

"Okay, okay." Ichigo said, grabbing the pad away from Rukia. "I think Setsuna-chan has seen enough of your crappy drawings for now." The short shinigami narrowed her eyes and balled her fists. She hit him on the arm.

"You jerk! My drawings are not crappy! At least she got the point! Right, Setsuna?" Setsuna slowly nodded her head. Indeed, she did get the point of the drawings, but she agreed that they were poorly drawn. She wasn't about to tell Rukia that, however. Rukia smiled. "Good."

"So . . . why are the Menos attracted to me and not to you guys?" Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

"That's what we've been trying to figure out." Rukia nodded her head.

"Yes. Granted, Menos are attracted to anyone with high amounts of spiritual pressure. However, generally, the Menos do not appear this frequently or at the large amounts we've seen lately." She placed a hand on her chin. "It is pretty obvious that your spiritual pressure is being contained, seeing as how I remember it being much stronger than it is now. But the problem is that you don't remember anything."

"What do you mean?" Setsuna asked.

"What I mean is, since you don't remember your past, you probably don't remember how to use kido or a zanpakuto. So there is no possible way that you know how to contain your spiritual pressure." Ichigo's eyes lit up.

"Oh, I get it! It's like someone is controlling her spiritual pressure _for _her." Rukia nodded again.

"Right. But _who_ and _how_ is the question. Also, it seems like someone other than us knows that Setsuna is in the world of the living and is sending the Menos after her. This person is probably the same one who broke Ukitake-taicho's barrier." Ichigo scoffed.

"Aizen."

"Maybe. Aizen seems to be the most logical answer. But what would be his motivation?" She pulled out her soul pager and began texting. "I'll have to ask Ukitake-taicho about it." Setsuna bounced her eyes back and forth between the two shinigami, now more confused than ever. She slowly raised her hand, hoping to be acknowledged.

"Yeah?" Rukia asked, temporarily leaving her thoughts.

"So . . . who is this Aizen, person?" Both Ichigo and Rukia face palmed.

* * *

_**A/N: **So many questions, lol. I promise they will all be answered in the upcoming chapters. I'm estimating that this will be between a 15-20 chapter story. So I'm a fifth of the way there, lol. Thank you all and don't forget to let me know what y'all think! ;)_


	5. Smooth Criminal

_Hi everyone! I would just like to say again, thanks everyone for the feedback! Okay, so after this chapter, I am going to halt the updates for a while so I can update my other three unfinished stories (Hey, gotta be fair lol). But don't worry, I am sure than I'll have another chapter up by the end of January. So what all will be happening in this chapter? What new information will we learn? Let's check it out . . ._

**

* * *

Chapter Five: Smooth Criminal**

"Ready?"

"Always."

"Bottoms up!" Shunsui Kyoraku, Rangiku Matsumoto, and the Squad Six third seat, Arisu Mochizuki, each took another shot of sake; their seventh. The Squad Thirteen captain served as spectator to the drinking game in the Squad Ten barracks, shaking his head as the three participants became more and more inebriated by the minute.

"I cannot believe that you all are actually going through with this," Captain Ukitake said, amazement clear in his voice. Shunsui smiled at his best friend.

"Well, you know me, Jushiro. I could never refuse the offer of a lovely lady." Jushiro smirked.

"Yeah, I bet."

"Aww, come on Ukitake-taicho. You should join us," Rangiku said, pouring him a drink. He shook his head, pushing the shot back over to the Squad Ten lieutenant.

"No thank you. I have to make sure that these two get home safely." He pointed at Shunsui and Arisu.

"Aww Ukitake-taisho, you ish sho shweet," Arisu began, her words beginning to slur. "But you don't hash to look out for me. Ish a big girrrl." Jushiro shook his head again; trying his best not to laugh at the girl's intoxicated state.

"No no no. I'm still going to take you home. I don't want you throwing up all over the Squad Six barracks like you did last time." Arisu began to giggle.

"Ohhh ha! Ish remembers that. Renji and Kushiki-taisho wash sho pissssshed at meh! I hadsh puked on Kushiki-taisho's haori that night too. He didn't shpeak to meh for the whole next daaay. HA HAAA!" They all took an eighth shot of sake. "Wit hish shexy ash." Rangiku giggled hysterically.

"Yeah, I agree. Kuchiki-taicho is pretty sexy." Arisu nodded her head and held up her hand for a high five, but Rangiku missed. Both women laughed at how uncoordinated they were. Arisu then scooted closer to Shunsui and laid her head on his shoulder.

"But sho ish Kyoraku-taisho. Nanao ish sho lucky."

"Why yes she is!" Shunsui agreed holding up another shot of sake. "Cheers to the sexiest captain in all of the Seireitei; me!"

"Yaaaaay!" All three took their ninth shot of sake after clumsily clinking the glasses together. Jushiro sighed deeply.

"Okay, okay. I think it's about time to cut you all off." He reached over the table and grabbed the two large bottles of sake. Rangiku pouted her lips.

"Awwwww! Ukitake-taicho, you're such a party pooper."

"No, no, Rangiku. He's right," Shunsui reluctantly agreed. We have a captains meeting with Yama-jii in the morning. I'd better stop now before I'm too hung over to pay attention and end up throwing up on Byakuya-kun like Risu-chan over here." Arisu threw up her hands.

"That wash one tiiiiime!" she whined.

"Well, even so, it was one time too many," Jushiro said as he bent over to help her up. Arisu clung lazily to him as she tried to maintain her balance. Shunsui followed suit and rose to his feet. Jushiro gave the almost empty sake bottles to Rangiku before he began to slowly walk Arisu out of the room.

"Bye bye Ukitake-taicho, Kyoraku-taicho, and Risu-chan!" the strawberry blonde waved enthusiastically, her large, revealed breasts bouncing with her. Arisu looked over her shoulder and blew her friend a sloppy kiss before exiting the lieutenant's quarters with the two captains.

* * *

"Ah, geez. Not again." The Squad Six lieutenant sighed deeply as he saw Jushiro and Shunsui helping his drunken subordinate maneuver her way through the Squad Six barracks. The red head had just finished making his rounds for the evening. Jushiro tried to hold back a chuckle after seeing the look of annoyance on Renji's face.

"Yes, Abarai-fukutaicho, I'm afraid so," he replied as Renji took her from him. He lifted her up into his arms. Arisu groaned loudly and buried her face in his chest. Renji narrowed his eyes at her before looking at the captains apologetically.

"I truly apologize Ukitake-taicho, Kyoraku-taicho. I will make sure to handle this so it won't happen again." Shunsui smiled as he put up a hand.

"No worries, Renji-kun. People have all kinds of different ways of how they relieve their sorrows. It doesn't happen too often with Risu-chan, so don't worry about it." Jushiro nodded his head.

"Yes, I agree. Arisu-chan hasn't been the same since Setsuna disappeared. She still needs time to heal." Renji nodded his head. "Well, goodnight Renji."

"Goodnight Ukitake-taicho, Kyoraku-taicho; and thanks." The captains waved their hands as they began to walk down the path leading out the barracks. Renji turned and began to walk toward Arisu's room. Arisu removed her head from his chest and stared groggily in his face.

"Renji?" He looked down at her and smirked.

"Oh? I'm surprised you recognize who I am, drunk."

"Shut up."

"Hey, I'd be nicer to me if I were you. You are so lucky that I was the one who found you and not Kuchiki-taicho. You remember what he said before about your drinking." The faux blonde rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Alright then. So if you don't want to be suspended, I suggest you cut down on the sake." He opened the door to Arisu's room and laid her on the bed. He grabbed the trashcan by the door and put it beside the bed, just in case. Arisu groaned loudly and stretched out, trying to make herself comfortable. Renji softly smiled and shook his head. _Rangiku, Shuhei, Izuru, Arisu. Why am I friends with such drunks?_ Renji was about to leave when he felt a hand tug at his haori. He looked down to see Arisu staring up at him with pleading eyes. A surprising look of vulnerability that contrasted strongly to her normally cool, calm, playful personality.

"Please. Just – stay for a while. 'Till I go to sleep?" Tempted to say no, Renji sighed and nodded his head at the girl whom he had met several years prior at the academy. He pulled a chair from the desk by the far wall and pulled it up to her bed.

"You know, you're more trouble than you're worth." She rolled her eyes again as he sat down, smirking. Both were silent as the calm of night filled the room. It was several moments later before Renji broke the silence.

"You know . . . I miss her too." Arisu turned from the ceiling and looked at the tall man. Even though she couldn't really see his features in the dark, she knew that his face held sincerity and, maybe, sadness. Arisu turned from her long time friend and looked out the window by her bed; the moonlight shining against her soft, creamy complexion.

"Yeah."

* * *

**Late that night:**

"Hello? . . . Oh hi, how are you? . . . Oh, it's no problem. I was up anyway . . . No, I was not able to check them today. It's been pretty busy around here lately. What did it say? . . . Yes. . . Yes, I noticed that too . . . okay . . . okay . . . . . . . . . . . . . WHAT? . . . Are you serious? You have to be joking! . . . Really . . . Really? Hm, yes that poses quite a problem. Wooow! Damn. Well, I will see about it tomorrow. Keep me posted in the meantime.

* * *

The air had a calming, crisp, fresh feel to it, Byakuya thought as he sat on the porch just outside one of the rooms of the Kuchiki manor, sipping a cup of freshly brewed tea; Hisana's favorite flavor, in fact. He decided to take a few, quiet moments to himself before he headed off to work and dealt with the pressing issues of the Soul Society. He was feeling rather pleasant today. The morning had been peaceful as very few individuals had come to disturb him. The previous night had been a gentle one as well, as his troublesome dreams of Sayori had been replaced with wonderful memories of his beloved wife. Byakuya stared out at the sakura blossoms that fell onto the rippling waters of the koi pond; which had increased its number of fish after he made Kenpachi buy him some new ones on account of Yachiru stealing them and giving them to Jushiro. He smirked upon remembering how pissed the brute had been.

He took a few more sips of tea before standing and putting on his captain's haori. A blushing servant came to take the cup away as he arranged his clothes, making sure to look as best as he possibly could. He grabbed Senbonzakura, fastened him to his obi and made his way out of the manor toward the Squad One barracks.

* * *

"Good morning everyone. Our weekly captain's meeting will now come to order," Head Captain Yamamoto said after all of the captains had taken their places in the meeting room. "Before we discuss the matter of the traitors Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tosen, I would like to hear all squad reports. Captain Soi-Fon?"

"Noting to report."

"Unohana-taicho?"

"Yes. I would just like to say that Squad Four has almost finished healing all of the squad members injured during the arrancar invasion last week."

"Excellent. Kuchiki-taicho?"

"Nothing to report."

"Komamura-taicho?"

"Nothing as well."

"Kyoraku-taicho."

"Hai, Yama-jii. I would just like to say that Squad Eight's recipe book goes on sale today. Make sure to order one before they sell out." Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.

"Now is not the time to be promoting merchandise, Shunsui." Shunsui chuckled and tilted his hat down.

"I'm sorry."

"Moving along. Hitsugaya-taicho?"

"Nothing to report."

"Zaraki-taicho?"

"Nope. Nada."

"Kurotsuchi-taicho?"

"No new information has been found about Aizen or the situation in the real world since last meeting."

"Very well, then. Ukitake-taicho?" Jushiro sighed deeply and ran a hand through his long, white hair before stepping out into the middle aisle between the two rows of captains.

"Yes, sensei, I indeed do have a report. The barrier that was placed over the area where the Menos Grande were frequently appearing was breeched late yesterday evening. Reports indicate that it was breeched from the inside." Squad Ten captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

"From the inside? There is no possible way that Gillians would be able to break a barrier of that level. Not even if there were hundreds of them."

"Yes, I know. However, the fact that it was an inside job leads me to believe that Aizen truly is the one sending them. But . . . that's not all. Last night, I received a call from Rukia Kuchiki about the matter. She has told me that she and Ichigo have figured out what is drawing the Menos to the area." Every eye in the room focused solely on the thirteenth captain. He sighed deeply once more and briefly closed his eyes before continuing. "It seems as if former Squad Thirteen fifth seat, Setsuna Hidaka, has taken up residence in the real world. The Menos have been drawn to her."

"What?" Soi-Fon exclaimed. "Setsuna Hidaka is alive? But she's been missing for over twenty years. Wasn't she presumed dead?" Shunsui chuckled.

"Well, it seems that our presumptions were wrong. Although it does explain why the Menos are attracted to her. From what I remember, those Hidaka nobles have extreme amounts of spiritual energy." Jushiro nodded.

"Yes, they do. Which . . . leads me to some more information that was given to me." The room was dead silent. "According to Rukia, Setsuna's spiritual pressure is being contained, so it is somewhat weaker. However, it appears that she has no recollection of her past as a shinigami. At all."

"At all?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi asked. "How is she containing her spiritual pressure if she has no memory as a shinigami? That is virtually impossible." Jushiro nodded.

"Exactly. Which is why Rukia believes that someone is controlling her reiatsu on purpose."

"That sounds like a problem," Toshiro said, placing a hand on his chin in thought. "Although I do not know the girl, so I cannot judge how powerful her reiatsu truly is, but if it is as strong as you all say it is, Karakura Town would be in danger if the force containing her spiritual pressure were to suddenly stop. The city would be overrun with Gillians, Adjuchas, Arrancar, and possibly Espada as well."

"Captain Hitsugaya makes a valid point," Yamamoto agreed. "Her presence in the real world with a volatile spiritual force is indeed a bad combination. Ukitake-taicho, has either Rukia or Ichigo determined where the containment is coming from or how she ended up in Karakura Town?"

"No, Sir, they have not."

"I see." The head captain fell silent, deep in thought while the other captains chattered about the new discovery.

"Very interesting how a soul reaper who disappears during a mission in the Rukongai turns up in the real world. And in Karakura Town no less," Mayuri said.

"Wasn't her disappearance during one of those battles against the same type of hollows that killed your lieutenant, Ukitake-taicho?" Sajin Komamura asked.

"Yes."

"This reeks of Sosuke Aizen," Toshiro mused.

"I doubt it. I bet you that her treasonous bitch of a sister had something to do with it," Soi-Fon disagreed. "I see her more likely to do something like this than Aizen." Toshiro cocked an eyebrow.

"Treasonous sister?"

"Yeah. Her elder sister murdered the previous captain of Squad Ten several years back. It turned the Seireitei upside down. I'm surprised you don't remember."

Byakuya furrowed his eyebrows.

"I recollect that there was a huge issue about a lieutenant killing a captain right before I joined the Gotei 13. Is that what you're referring to?"

"Yes, that's it. It was surprising how much of a traitor that bitch was."

"Now, now Soi-Fon-taicho," Shunsui interrupted. "It's not polite to speak ill of people when they are not here to defend themselves. Sayori-chan included."

"Treason or not, all I know was that that girl was one hell of a fighter," Kenpachi Zaraki said, a huge, sadistic smile plastered on his face. "Even if she _was_ pretty much a kido based fighter."

"Soi-Fon-taicho," Retsu Unohana began, "why do you hold such a grudge against Sayori-san? Isn't she Yoruichi-san's cousin?" Soi-Fon gritted her teeth.

"Yes, but only by marriage. Sayori is nothing like Yoruichi-sama. She brought shame upon the Gotei 13, her house, and the Shihoin house with her actions. Also, Yoruichi-sama has class. Sayori did not."

Byakuya furrowed his eyebrows again. _I could say the same for you._

"Alright, alright. Settle down," Yamamoto interrupted. "I have taken into consideration what all has been said and I have reached a decision. Until we determine how Setsuna Hidaka ended up in the human realm and until we find out how she is containing her spiritual pressure, I want her brought here, to the Soul Society. Captain Hitsugaya, I want you and Lieutenant Matsumoto to retrieve her."

"Hai, Head Captain."

"Captain Ukitake, I want you to head to the real world as well. I want you to see if you can determine what caused your barrier to break."

"Yes, Sensei."

"Kurotsuchi, I want you to maintain watch over Aizen and the arrancar, like you have been doing."

"Of course."

"Now, for the unexpected addition to this equation. Captain Soi-Fon makes a valid point about the delinquent, Sayori Shihoin. Considering that her crime and Setsuna's disappearance happened roughly around the same time, I believe that it is worth investigating. Therefore, I order you, Captain Kuchiki, to find the criminal and bring her to the Seireitei for investigation." Byakuya's breath hitched and his eyes widened slightly. He tried to hide his reaction, but Yamamoto picked up on it with ease. He closed his eyes. "Considering the bad blood that has more than likely developed over the years, I believe that you are the best choice to apprehend her. Additionally, you are the one who knows her abilities best and would have the greatest success if she happens to resist arrest."

"But she has been gone for over thirty years," Soi-Fon pointed out. "How do we even know that she's still alive." Shunsui smirked.

"Oh she's still alive, alright. A shinigami like that doesn't go down so easily."

"So it is agreed then. The order has been made. I want the former lieutenant of Squad Six, Sayori Shihoin, in custody within forty eight hours."

* * *

_Pit pat pit pat pit pat._

_Huff huff. _"Arisu! Wait up! Where are you going?" Renji called after his blonde friend as she quickly walked toward Byakuya's office. She briefly turned around.

"I'm going to talk to Captain Kuchiki."

"What? Why? You're still hung over from last night. I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"I'm not_ that_ hung over. Besides, I have something really important I need to ask him. I gotta ask him about these rumors." Renji narrowed his eyes, confused_. Rumors? What rumors?_ He shunpoed in front of the girl and grabbed her by the arms to stop her.

"Rumors? What are you talking about?" Arisu struggled against him.

"Let go, Renji! I gotta talk to the captain!"

"Your lieutenant just asked you a question!" Arisu pouted and sighed, defeated. He had pulled that damned 'lieutenant card' again. Renji was searching her face for an answer when a sparkle appeared in her normally dull, teal eyes.

"It's Setsuna, Renji! Shuhei-kun told me that Rukia and Ichigo found her in the world of the living!" Renji's eyes widened in disbelief. _No way. There's no possible way they found her. I thought she was –_

"Are you sure, Arisu?" he blurted as he shook her. "Tell me you're not joking!" Arisu grunted as she wriggled out of his grip. His nails had left red marks on her fair skin.

"I don't know yet. That's why I'm going to ask Captain Kuchiki."

"No – no, wait." He held up a hand, stopping her. Arisu gave him an irritated look. He sighed. "I will ask him for the both of us. You know how Kuchiki-taicho hates being barged in on by subordinates."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go go go!" He nodded his head, still in somewhat of a shock. Arisu took a seat on one of the benches outside of Byakuya's office. She watched as Renji entered the room.

* * *

"Is there something you need, Renji?" Byakuya's smooth, calm voice asked as his lieutenant took a seat across from him, still dazed at the possibility of his friend being alive after twenty five years. He could not speak. Byakuya studied the man's face. He slowly closed his eyes. "I take it that you have heard the news by now." Renji gulped.

"So – so it _is_ true?"

"It appears so." Renji slid to the front of the chair and banged his hands on the desk in excitement.

"When? How? Wh-why?"

"The details are still sketchy. All we know so far is that Rukia and Kurosaki found her yesterday and that she has lost her memories."

"She lost her memories?"

"I believe that's what I just said." Renji slowly sat back in the chair, taking in his captain's news. "However that's not all."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Captain Yamamoto has asked that I apprehend Sayori within the next forty eight hours. Therefore, I need you to do some research and find out where she is. I need to figure out how I am going to approach this arrest."

"Hai, taicho."

"Good. Now, if you would –"

"Uh, ye – yes, taicho." Renji took the hint and got up to leave. He met a very anxious Arisu outside the door hovering around it.

"Well?"

"Yes. He said that the rumors are true." Arisu threw her hands to her ample bosom.

"Really? Wow, Renji! I cannot believe it! This is incredible!" Renji softly chuckled at how uncharacteristically excited the girl was. Even when Setsuna had been around, Arisu always maintained her cool composure. So to see her like this was rare. It also meant that she was extremely happy. Renji decided to keep the knowledge of her lost memory to himself. He didn't want to see that rare smile leave her face so soon.

* * *

It all now made sense to Byakuya why he had kept seeing the blue haired lady so frequently in his dreams. They were warnings. Warnings that the two would be meeting again soon. Byakuya knew that this reunion would not have smiles. He knew that it would not have laughs or reminiscing about the good 'ol days. He knew that it was going to be ugly. He knew that, if anything, he would have a fight on his hands when he finally saw Sayori again. After all, his last words to her were 'Don't contact me again.' And now, he was put in charge of her arrest.

There in the quiet and darkness of his office, Byakuya Kuchiki let out a long, defeated sigh. For the first time in a long time, he did not know what to do.

* * *

**A/N:** Uh ohhh. This doesn't sound too good for Byakuya-bo lol. So how will Sayori react? The long awaited reunion of the two is the next chapter! So stay tuned. Don't forget to let me know what you think! Thanks!


	6. Reminisce

Hi guys! I'm back. I had planned to update this earlier, but I fell ill and did not have the time/energy/desire to write a new chapter. But now I'm better and have a new chapter for you guys. So Sayori and Byakuya will finally reunite in this chapter. What will happen?

**

* * *

Chapter Six: Reminisce  
**

**58 years ago . . .**

"Byakuya? Byakuya?" Sayori paced the grounds of the Kuchiki manor, looking for her friend. It had been a long day at the division five offices and now that Aizen had allowed the seated officers to go home for the evening, she was ready to find the Kuchiki noble and . . . 'play' with him for a while. Much to the chagrin of her elder brother, who was now the head of the clan after their father's untimely death, Sayori had begun to behave in a manner that was quite unfitting for a noble. Maikeru didn't know what had brought about the rebellious nature in his sister's attitude. Yume had suggested that perhaps it was her way of grieving Yoshimitsu's death. Maikeru didn't agree. Setsuna's personality and behavior had not changed, so that couldn't be it. No, he thought that it more than likely had to do with that boy she had started dating, Zi Shihoin. Zi wasn't exactly the pride of the clan and it seemed like the more Sayori hung out with him, the more she became like him. A frightening thought for him, to say the least. She had become more loud and outspoken, more open about her sexuality, and more insistent of her freedom. She had even chopped off her long, wavy, blue hair to where it now sat just above her shoulders. None of these things would have bothered him as much if she wasn't so brash and unladylike about it. Maikeru could only hope that she would calm down and soon.

"Byakuya? Where are you man, I know you hear me!"

"Not so loud, Sayori-chan." Sayori turned around to see that Byakuya's grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki, had appeared behind her. She instantly bowed in respect for the head of their family.

"I'm sorry, Ginrei-dono. I was just looking for your grandson. Is he around?"

"Yes, he's currently in his room at the moment." Sayori rolled her eyes, feeling stupid that she hadn't thought of checking there first.

"He's not busy is he?"

"No, I don't believe he is right now."

"Great. Thank you very much, Ginrei-dono."

"Hn." The young shinigami bowed once more before shunpoing toward the direction of his personal quarters. A sneaky grin spread across her face as less than virtuous thoughts flooded her mind.

_Senbonzakura . . . make your presence known in my world. Manifest yourself . . . for I wish to learn how to use you to your ultimate capability. Right now it is just you and I. No other reiatsu is here to cloud the communication between us. The only reiatsu I can feel is yours . . . and mine . . . and . . . Tejinashi's?_

Byakuya's concentration was immediately shattered upon noticing the spirit of his best friend's zanpakuto invade his inner world. He turned from his sword and watched with angry eyes as Sayori entered his room. "Hey, Byakuya."  
"Damn you, Sayori." Sayori scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Kuchiki-dono. Geez, why are you so salty today?"

"Because your annoying zanpakuto ruined my communication with Senbonzakura. I was _this_ close to summoning him into our world. This mother fuckin' close!" Sayori smiled in victory as she took a seat on Byakuya's bed. She had missed seeing him blow up like that. Over the last year, his personality had begun to change. He had begun to become less hot tempered and more reliable, since he was about to become the twenty eighth head of the Kuchiki clan within the upcoming months. While she was happy for her friend, she also missed his old, wild personality. So she decided that she'd come and draw it out. It was well known among her close friends and family that her zanpakuto, Tejinashi, was very cunning and mischievous. So Sayori didn't even try to stop her when she insisted on spending some time with the Kuchiki lord's hotheaded zanpakuto.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you know that there's no stopping Tejinashi once she has made up her mind to do something. She pissed off Haineko earlier. I'll admit that she even frustrates me too, sometimes." Byakuya sighed deeply before getting up from his desk.

"Well, you need to learn how to have better control of your zanpakuto." Sayori kept her eyes pinned on Byakuya as he began to walk over to her. One thing that she did like about his recent change in character was that he now had a more commanding presence about himself. Even the way he walked signified that he was a strong and confident man. This had begun to make her more attracted to him. She had always thought of him as a brother, but now her thoughts were becoming quite impure. Although she would never reveal this knowledge to him nor to Zi. She tried her best to change the mental subject as he sat down beside her. "So what brings you by?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to spend some time with you before I went home."

"I see you're still in your shihakusho. Did you just now get off work?"

"Yeah. We had a ton of paperwork to do. Gin and I stayed late to help the captain finish up. How long you been home?"

"About four hours. Grandfather let us off early and since he did, I thought I would try to start training for Bankai today." Sayori's eyes lit up.

"Oh, really? How has it come along so far?"

"It was going fine until _you_ showed up." Now she felt a little guilty. She apologetically patted him on the back.

"I'm sorry, but let a girl know beforehand next time."

"How about a girl calls _before _she shows up next time?" She laughed. "Besides, shouldn't you be out hanging with that freak instead of me? Isn't he your boyfriend?"

"Nooo, he's not. We're only dating right now."

"Oh. Well . . . just be careful." She smiled again.

"What was that? Was that _Byakuya Kuchiki_ being concerned about me? Whaaat?"

"How foolish. I was simply saying what anybody should say to the women that date Zi Shihoin. That's all."

"Oh please Byakuya. You can't lie to me. I have known you for too long to fall for something like that. I know when you're trying to protect someone and I know when you're hiding something." Her eyes lowered dangerously. "Like – " she suddenly reached over and stuck her hand inside of his haori. His eyes widened as he felt her hands roam around his chest. A few seconds later, the hand withdrew and now contained a single photograph. " – like I'm the only one who knows where you keep your favorite picture of your girrrlfrieeend!" Byakuya launched at the picture, but Sayori moved it out of the way just in time. She smiled widely at the picture of Hisana. "She's pretty cute, I have to admit. She also looks really sweet. Can't believe she's with you though."

"Give me that!"

"Come get it, sucka."

"Sayori, I don't have time to play games with you today. Now give it to me!"

"I said, come get it." Sayori giggled as Byakuya sprang forward, attempting to grab the picture once more. He missed and ended up landing on top of her. The mischievous girl stretched her arm over her head, trying to keep the photo out of reach. She arched her back, subtly, her breasts rubbing against his hard chest. She seductively ran her leg up his thigh as his body laid right against hers. The thing that Sayori loved most about Byakuya's temper was that he never noticed anything. He would always be 100% focused on whatever or whomever he was angry with. She couldn't help it if he was so passionate about the picture that he didn't notice it was just simply a plan to feel him up. She couldn't help but grin at her own deceit.

"Sayori, stop behaving like a child and hand over what belongs to me." Byakuya stared down at her with intense, serious grey eyes. He held both of her wrists flat against the bed; she was now totally submissive to him. She bit down on her bottom lip. Her eyes lowered dangerously.

"And what if I don't?"

"But you will."

"Oh? I might refuse. Are you gonna – punish me if I refuse?" Byakuya picked up on the innuendo. It was then he noticed how suggestive they currently looked. A small blush threatened to appear on his face, but he immediately covered it with his calm demeanor. He quickly sat up, avoiding eye contact with his friend. He straightened his hair and clothes. Sayori giggled as she sat up as well.

"You are such a perverted woman, Sayori. You do know that, right?"

"Yes, I know." Byakuya turned to her and stuck out his hand. Sayori sighed in defeat as she placed the photo inside of it. He took the picture and stuck it back inside of his robe. He left the bed and walked back over to his desk. He could feel that Senbonzakura was still preoccupied with Tejinashi, so he decided to postpone the Bankai training . . . again. He decided to study up on the Kuchiki family rules and laws instead. Sayori yawned loudly and stretched her arms over her head. The dark haired man glanced over his shoulder.

"You tired?"

"I just got off work and had a wrestling match with you. What do you think, Kuchiki-dono?" Byakuya smirked, but turned around first before she could see.

"Well . . . just make sure that you don't snore too loudly."

* * *

Renji's efforts to find Sayori had been futile thus far and that troublesome third seat of his didn't know anything either. In fact, no one who had been close to Sayori knew of her whereabouts. Byakuya could only hope that his final resort could lead to some answers. The Kuchiki lord walked with poise and grace toward the large front gates of the Hidaka manor. Immediately recognizing him, the guards protecting the entrance kneeled and bowed their heads in respect. "Kuchiki Byakuya-dono," the two large men greeted him simultaneously.

"I am here to see Cho-sama. I need to talk to her about something important. Is she in?"

"Yes Sir, she is," the smaller of the two muscular men said. "I believe that she is in the ceremonial tea room at the moment. Shall we offer you an escort?"

"That is not necessary. I believe that I remember the way."

"As you wish." The man pressed the main button that slowly opened the large, heavy steel gates. The guards bowed once more before Byakuya entered the Hidaka grounds.

It wasn't long before he found Cho. He had indeed remembered the way to the clan's main tea room and sure enough, the clan head was there; having a glass of tea poured by a young servant girl. The dark beauty's eyes widened with surprise before a large smile filled her face. "Well, would you look who decided to stop by." She rose to her feet and bowed before Byakuya. He repeated the respectful gesture. After she straightened, she placed her hand on his shoulder. "My old friend, Byakuya-sama. It's been quite a while." Byakuya nodded.

"It has. How have you been, Cho-sama?"

"I've been quite well. Never knew that being clan leader would be this stressful, but I can't complain. Ha ha."

"Very good. Being a leader does indeed have its burdens."

"Seriously. Oh, have a seat." Byakuya nodded as he sat down across from his host. The bright eyed servant girl poured Byakuya a glass of tea; her hands shaking nervously and her face turning bright red from blushing so much. After she was done, she scurried out of the room, almost tripping over her own feet. Cho giggled and shook her head at the poor girl's antics. She took another sip of tea before turning to the handsome man in front of her. "So, what brings you by?"

"Well, I do not intend to stay long. I really stopped by to see if I could possibly get some information out of you." Cho cocked an eyebrow.

"Is that right?"

"Yes. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I have been ordered by Head Captain Yamamoto to find and arrest Sayori within a few hours." Cho nodded her head.

"I see."

"I was wondering if you had any information about her whereabouts. My efforts to find her, so far, have been fruitless." Cho pursed her lips together before taking another sip of tea. She sighed deeply as she set the cup back down.

"Well . . . probably just like you, I have not seen Sayori since she murdered Kazumi Ito. Also, we do not keep tabs on the family members that are exiled, as we believe that it would break the laws of our clan. However, the last I heard, Sayori was living in Jakura."

"Jakura?" Byakuya asked thoughtfully. Jakura was a lower-middle class area in the south Rukon District. District number fifty eight. He had not been to the place before, but from what he'd heard, it was a far cry from the noble life that Sayori used to live.

"If the rumors are true, then yes, Jakura is where you will find her." Byakuya nodded his head before taking a sip of tea. "So . . . does all of this have to do with Setsuna's reemergence?" Byakuya nodded again.

"Yes it does. There seems to be a theory that Sayori caused Setsuna's disappearance. That's why it was ordered that she be detained." Cho nodded as well.

"I understand." Byakuya sighed before standing to his feet. Cho followed.

"Well, I hate to leave so soon, but I must find Sayori soon. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Cho-sama."

"Likewise, Byakuya-sama. Don't be such a stranger. I would love for you to stop by more often."

"If time permits, I will take it into consideration. Good evening." The slender male began to walk towards the exit of the room, when he felt a slight tug on his captain's haori. He turned to see Cho staring up at him; her sensual cerulean eyes staring at him with genuine concern."

"One more thing. If you do happen to find Sayori . . . be – be careful. She's not quite the woman that she used to be." Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean – just . . . stay on your toes. That's all."

* * *

The citizens of Jakura knew something was up when they saw a member of the four great clans walking down their street. It was rare to see any noble in the Rukongai and even rarer to see a high-ranking one. Byakuya simply ignored their stares as he continued down the long, dusty road. As he traveled, he noticed that the surrounding areas were becoming poorer in quality_. Surely Sayori doesn't live in a place like this?_ When Byakuya finally got to the home, he almost did not believe that Sayori lived there. If he had not felt her reiatsu, he might have turned and walked away.

The home was run down and looked very old. The inside didn't look much better either. The walls were a drab, tan color. There was little furniture and the home smelled like dirty water, probably from the mold that was forming on the ceiling. Byakuya had heard that she had been living in the home since her banishment from the Seireitei. To think that his once esteemed lieutenant and best friend had fallen so far.

"You know, when I felt this reiatsu, I thought I had lost my mind for a moment. Nice to know that I'm still sane after all." Byakuya turned around and saw the woman he had come for walk into the room. Sayori Shihoin. His former best friend that he hadn't seen in thirty years. She still looked very similar as she did when she was still his lieutenant; her midnight blue hair was long again, her figure had filled out a little more, her mocha brown skin still looked soft and had a slight glow, and her cerulean eyes were still beautiful although they lacked a little of the life that they used to have. In his eyes, she was still the gorgeous girl that he used to know and probably still as stubborn. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Sayori Shihoin." Sayori smirked as she straightened the sleeves of her peach and silver yukata. She tossed some of her blue locks over her shoulder.

"Sayori Shihoin, huh? That's the kind of greeting I get, despite the fact that we haven't seen each other for many years? I'd expected to see a little more joy out of you, Byakuya." She slowly walked toward him. Byakuya noticed how sensuous and graceful she walked in the form fitting garment. She still had that air of respect about her; a respect that used to command the attention of every man in the room. She stopped until there were a few feet separating them. She didn't try to hide it as she looked him over; from his head to his feet, her eyes roamed his form. After a minute or so, she refocused her eyes on his. "Then again, it wasn't like we parted on good terms, now did we?"

"You brought your punishment on yourself. You were a criminal who broke the law. It was my duty as a captain of the Soul Society to cut all ties with you, regardless of our friendship." Sayori rolled her eyes.

"You and your damn sense of duty. You've always been such a stubborn ass. Your clan must hate you."

"At least I haven't been exiled from mine."

"You never know, Kuchiki-dono. There's still time. Marry another woman from the Rukongai and let's see how long you last." Byakuya furrowed his eyebrows.

"How dare you, Sayori." Sayori crossed her arms and matched the man's angry expression.

"How dare you come to my house and disrespect me?"

"Disrespect? I only speak the truth."

"As did I." They fell silent. Sayori smirked again as she saw the anger that filled his eyes. She felt somewhat victorious knowing that after all of these years, she could still reach that hot headed boy deep inside of him. _You still haven't changed, have you Byakuya?_

Sayori sighed deeply and turned on her heels. "I have some tea brewing in the other room. It would be rude for me not to at least invite you to have some." Byakuya knew that he should decline considering the fact that he had come to arrest her. But it was just something about that woman that made him give. It had always been that way between them. He silently followed her into the room next to the main room. He sat down across from her at an old, rickety wood table. The walls were dull, cold and bear with the exception of a small corner toward the back of the room that housed five pictures. The first was a wedding photo of Yume and Yoshimitsu. The second was of her and Maikeru. The third was a picture of her with Zi. The fourth was a photo featuring her, Cho, and Setsuna with Captain Ukitake. The fifth was a picture of her and Setsuna by themselves. Byakuya stared at the pictures as the woman poured him a cup of tea. He couldn't help but notice how happy she looked in them. How full of life she had been. He felt a very small tinge of guilt sear through him.

"So, why have you come all the way out to the Rukongai just to see me?" Sayori asked before sipping the tea.

"I am here on business."

"Business? What kind of business would you have out here?

"Head Captain Yamamoto ordered me to find you." The woman's eyes slightly widened and a small grin filled her lips.

"Head Captain Yamamoto? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. So the old man is still running things huh? Not surprised. What does he want with me though? I thought that he made it clear that he never wanted to see me again."

"Your sister was found in the real world." Sayori's eyes widened. She nearly choked on the tea as she sat the cup back down on the table.

"W – What? WHAT?"

"Rukia and a young human boy, Ichigo Kurosaki, found her not too long ago."

"_Human_ boy?"

"It seems that Setsuna was controlling her spiritual pressure somehow, even though she doesn't have any recollection of her past."

"Wait, she can't remember_ anything_? Anything at all?"

"Precisely. There is a belief that Sosuke Aizen had something to do with this. However – a few of the captains believe that you are involved as well." Sayori's eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" Byakuya closed his eyes and sighed deeply. _I guess it can't be helped._ He slowly got up from the table and towered authoritatively over the woman. His expression was cold and stern. He reached inside his sleeves and pulled out a pair of special handcuffs that repelled the wearer's reiatsu. Sayori's eyes became angrier.

"Sayori Shihoin, by order of the Soul Society, you are hereby under arrest for the disappearance of Setsuna Hidaka." Sayori scrambled to her feet.

"How dare you and those ignorant soul reapers accuse me of wanting to harm my little sister! I am not going anywhere with you, Byakuya!"

"Your crime will worsen if you resist, Sayori. Don't make this harder than it has to be. I will take you by force if I have to."

"I'm not leaving this house!" Byakuya closed his eyes. He put the handcuffs back inside his sleeve.

"Very well then." He gracefully put a hand on Senbonzakura's hilt, but before he could draw it, Sayori shunpoed away to get her own sword. There was a loud crashing sound of metal as the blades slammed into each other. A pair of grey eyes and cerulean eyes stared at one another with cataclysmic intensity as their owners began to spar. Byakuya, and Sayori alike, was surprised that the former noble was able to keep up with his sword. Still, it was quite obvious that she was rusty. _I will finish this with one blow._ Byakuya jumped back from Sayori until he was standing on the other side of the room. She watched him carefully as he positioned Senbonzakura parallel to his face. She knew what was coming.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." His smooth baritone set off the sword, its silver blade glowing pink. One by one, the blades began to separate. However, Sayori was still one step ahead.

"Bakudo number eighty one, Danku!" A large, transparent wall erected in front of her, repelling every last one of Senbonzakura's blades. When his attack dispersed, Byakuya looked at the woman with a slightly impressed expression.

"You countered with a high level kido spell without saying the spirit chant. I see you're still as strong as ever in that category." Sayori smirked.

"Just like you'll never surpass Yoruichi in shunpo, you'll _never _surpass me in kido." Byakuya smirked as well.

"So it would seem. However – " The Kuchiki lord positioned Senbonzakura so its blade was pointing toward the floor. Sayori's eyes widened. " – even you must realize that I still have the upper hand." He closed his eyes. "Bankai . . . Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." A sense of fear washed over the former noble as she watched the large blades rise from the ground. She knew of the damage that the man's bankai could do. She had seen it many times before when they were still partners. Having never been on the receiving end of the attack, she could only hope that Tejinashi could aide her. "Scatter."

"Lie, Tejina – " But before Sayori could release her zanpakuto, Senbonzakura's thousand blades connected with her and everything around her. Sayori screamed in agony as the blades began to cut her. Several seconds of intense pain engulfed her until Byakuya called off the attack, before she was severely hurt. The woman whimpered and struggled to breathe as Byakuya began to walk over to her. Her home had been greatly damaged in the attack as well and was now on a shaky foundation. Byakuya knew that they both had to get out before it collapsed. Taking advantage of her immobility, he reached inside his shihakusho and retrieved the handcuffs. He clasped them around her wrists, securing her arrest. He bent down and picked her up, slinging her over his shoulder. She groaned loudly as her home began to shake.

"G – go . . . to . . . hell, Byakuya."

"Silence."

The high ranking noble quickly shunpoed out the front door only mere moments before the whole home gave way.

* * *

**A/N: **Dang, Byakuya.


	7. Going Back to Seireitei

_Heeeeeey everyone! I am back with another chapter to this Mystery/Drama/Comedy/Romance story lol. In this chappy we will have a flashback and another scene from the Real World. So what's going down in the Bleach world today? Let's find out . . ._

_Oh and a special thank you to my reviewers and people who are alerting/favoriting this piece. You make my heart feel super happy (LOL)_

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Going Back to Seireitei**

**47 years ago . . .**

_ Awww gee. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I am not ready for this. This is too much. What, what if I suck? What if something goes wrong? Oh my god, what if I can't fight like those other guys? They're so much more experienced than I am. I'm gonna make myself look soooo stupid! Oh no! I might make Captain Ukitake look bad. Awww gee, and then he'll get fired and have to live on the streets as a pauper and then he'll die because he can't afford his medication. Oh no, maybe I should just quit. Maybe I shou – _

"Setsuna?" The nervous girl stopped pacing the floors in the waiting room of the Squad Thirteen barracks. She looked over her shoulder and smiled weakly.

"Oh, h – hey, Cho-itoko-san." Cho looked concerned as she walked closer to her younger cousin.

"Are you okay, Hime? You look really nervous." Setsuna forced a chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Nervous? Me? N – Noooo. I'm not nervous, ha ha. That . . . that is ridiculous." Cho smirked and gave the girl a 'yeah-right' look. _Who does she think she's foolin'?_

"Well, you seem nervous. Don't be. You're working for a good captain and a good squad. Captain Ukitake is very kind and will help you out as best as he can. So calm down, Hime. It's not like you're a member of Squad Eleven." Something in Setsuna died right then.

"Ha haaa . . . yeah. I – I know what you mean." Cho giggled. "So what are you doing here, Cho-itoko-san?"

"Oh nothing, I just stopped by to wish you luck and to give you these." She extended the bouquet of snowdrops in her arms. Setsuna smiled widely as she took them. "They are my congratulation gift. And my good luck gift too."

"Awww, thank you itoko-san."

"No problem, Hime. Oh, and your sister told me to give you this." She reached inside of the sleeve of her shihakusho and retrieved a small, blue box. Setsuna excitedly opened the gift. Inside was a silver charm bracelet with diamond incrusted jewels. Her eyes lit up as she dangled it in front of her.

"Awww, nee-san," she muttered, breathless. Cho smirked and shook her head. _ Leave it to Sayo to always try and out do someone. I swear, that girl._

"I guess I can tell Sayo that you like it?" the older girl asked with a grin. Setsuna nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, I love it! Where is onee-san anyway?"

"Oh, she's at the Squad Six barracks with Byakuya-kun. They are busy over there today."

"Oh okay."

"Well, I better be off before Aizen-taicho realizes that I'm gone, ha ha." Setsuna giggled.

"Okay, itoko-san. I'll see you later and thank you for the gifts." Cho casually waved as she turned to walk away.

"You're welcome, Hime. And don't be nervous." Setsuna exhaled loudly as she plopped on one of the benches in the waiting room. It wasn't much longer before the big, heavy doors opened. Setsuna stared at the shinigami as she came closer to her. The girl was very short and petite. Her black hair was short as well, with a stray bang hanging in her face. Her eyes were violet and very focused. She had seen this girl before. _Didn't I see her at Byakuya-sama's house one time? She must be a Kuchiki too._

"Hello. Are you Setsuna Hidaka?" Setsuna smiled nervously as she stood and extended her hand.

"Uh, yeah. I mean, yes, I am Setsuna Hidaka." Rukia grinned as she shook her hand.

"Nice to finally meet you Setsuna. I'm Rukia Kuchiki." The darker girl's eyes lit up.

"Oh so you're Rukia Kuchiki. You're Byakuya-sama's new, little sister?"

"Yes, and you're Sayori-sama's little sister if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah."

"Well we already know a bit about each other then. That's good seeing as how I will be training you today." Setsuna cocked her head to the side. Rukia didn't seem like the type that would be training a new shinigami. In fact, she didn't look like much of a fighter. But if Captain Ukitake sent her . . .

"Um, I thought that Ukitake-taicho or Shiba-fukutaicho were supposed to train me."

"Normally that would be the case, but, Ukitake-taicho is ill and Shiba-fukutaicho is on vacation with Miyako-sama. "

"Oh, I see." Rukia could tell that she was still somewhat hesitant. She sighed deeply.

"Don't worry Setsuna, you're in good hands. I am a very capable instructor or otherwise, they would not have sent me. So come on. I will show you to your barracks and afterward, we will begin training."

* * *

After the conclusion of training, Setsuna plodded back to her room at the division barracks. Her whole body was exhausted and she couldn't wait to see her new bed. Rukia had turned out to be a much stronger shinigami than she originally thought. She turned out to be friendlier as well. She was beginning to think that she was going to like Rukia as a mentor after all.

With a small smile on her face, Setsuna opened the door to her bedroom. She almost had a heart attack when she saw that someone was already in her room and sitting on her bed. However, she instantly calmed when she recognized who it was. She smiled brightly. "Nee-san. Aww, gee you scared me." Sayori returned the smile with a large one of her own.

"Heeeey, Hime. How was your first day? Come give me some sugar." Setsuna giggled as the older girl dramatically extended her arms for a hug. She obliged before sitting on the bed beside her.

"It went well. I didn't get to meet the captain or lieutenant though. But I did finally get to meet Byakuya-sama's sister. She's gonna be my mentor."

"Oh, yeah? Well hopefully she won't be an ass like her big brother." Setsuna giggled again. "Pssssh, girl why are you laughing? You know I'm telling the truth. I mean, I know that Byakuya is my best friend and all, but that man gets my nerves sometimes. Like today, Hime; he had me busy doing all of this random stuff, so I didn't get a chance to come see you today and wish you luck."

"Yeah, Cho-itoko-san told me that you were busy."

"And I still am! I literally had to sneak away from the office to come and see you. That fool is still over there being a tyrant. Makes noooo sense, Hime." Setsuna tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly.

"Aww, but you know that you still love Byakuya-sama."

"He's alright, I guess."

"Ha ha ha, nee-san." Sayori giggled as well.

"Okay okay, you're right. I do love myself some Byakuya Kuchiki no matter how stubborn he is sometime. Just like you love Renji and Arisu no matter how hotheaded and promiscuous they are." Setsuna laughed loudly.

"You're right."

"Did you get to see those two today?"

"Yeah. I saw Renji-kun before I left this morning and Risu-chan right before Cho-itoko-san stopped by. They just wished me luck and everything since I was the last of us to join the Gotei 13."

"Oh okay, cool. That's a – " Just then, the phone sitting on the night stand began to ring. Setsuna slid off the bed and answered.

"Hello? . . . yes, who is this? . . . oh hi Byakuya-sama . . . thank you . . . okay, hold on." She turned to Sayori and extended the receiver to her. "It's for you." She grinned as she saw the annoyed expression on the woman's face. She sighed as she took it.

"Yeah, Byakuya? . . . okay, okay Kuchiki-taicho . . . no . . . because Bya – ugh – Kuchiki-taicho, you don't need me for that . . . since when? . . . how am I being insubordinate? . . . . . . . . . you've known me for almost two hundred years now. You should've known I was gonna sneak out . . . . . I had to check on her! . . . I know that!" Setsuna had to stifle a laugh as she listened to the captain and his lieutenant argue. She could hear Byakuya on the other end saying things like "Don't address me as Byakuya" and "stop acting like an insubordinate, child". The fights between them had always been funny, however, now Sayori was the one who would become hot headed while Byakuya stayed calm.

" . . . . . . well, I did what I had to do. If you had a little sister, you would have done the same thing. Oh wait! You _do_ have one! . . . . . . . . since when did I tell you how to run your house? . . . no I didn't! . . . I did not! . . . . . . . . . . uh, last time I checked, I'm clan leader too. So don't give me that excuse . . . . . well, I'm not arguing with myself Byaku – sigh – Kuchiki-taicho . . . okay . . . . . . okay, okay! I'm on my way! Bye!" Sayori groaned loudly as she slammed the phone on the receiver. "Ugggggh! That stubborn, stubborn man!"

"Are you in trouble, nee-san?" Sayori smirked as she straightened her shihakusho and hair in the mirror on the wall.

"Nah, Hime. Byakuya's just being a bully. I do have to leave now and help him finish some paper work that he **knows** he doesn't need me for. But whatever, I guess." _Ugh, why did I become a lieutenant? No, why did Yamamoto __**assign**__ me to him? _Sayori turned and smiled warmly at her sibling. She bent down and gave her a warm hug. "I'll see you later, Hime. Come to the manor after you get off tomorrow. We'll have a feast to honor you." Setsuna smiled as well.

"Okay, nee-san. I'll be there."

"Good. Take care, Hime. Get some rest and I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too." The older sibling had already shunpoed into the darkness when the younger's head crashed into the pillow beneath her.

* * *

"Well, well. Isn't this quite a surprise? I have not seen you in a very long time. Glad to see that you are well. At least, you _look_ well." Setsuna narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side as she stared at the blonde man with the striped bucket hat in front of her.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?" she asked, the confusion clear in her voice. Urahara's face turned to an expression of false sadness.

"Awww, don't tell me you don't remember me. Kisuke Urahara? You and Sayori used to hang out at Yoruichi's place a lot. You remember them, don't you?"

"Yoruichi? I've never heard that name before."

"Give it a rest Urahara-san. Setsuna cannot remember anything about her former life," Ichigo interrupted as he sat down between Rukia and the amnesia plagued girl. Urahara chuckled behind his fan.

"Ha ha, so it seems. I should have suspected. I am very unforgettable." Both Ichigo and Rukia rolled their eyes.

"Urahara, we found out that Setsuna was the one who was drawing the Menos to Karakura Town," Rukia said. "They seem to be drawn to her high spiritual pressure, but that spiritual pressure is being controlled in some way."

"Mmm, is that so?"

"Yes. Ukitake-taicho is worried that if she does not remember how to control her spiritual pressure, it might become unstable should that force containing it stop. So we need to find out how she is able to do it or what or who is doing it for her."

"There's no need." Setsuna turned from the strange man whom they called Urahara to the slender, mocha skinned lady who just walked into the room. She looked very familiar to her, she had to admit, but she could not remember ever having seen her before.

"Yoruichi-san?" Ichigo said, somewhat startled. Setsuna's eyes widened. _So this is Yoruichi? Wow, she's really pretty. But how do I know her?_ Urahara grinned.

"Ahhh, I see you're back already Yoruichi. You find out anything juicy from the Soul Society?" Yoruichi smirked as she plopped down on the pillow beside her longtime friend.

"Yeah, I had a chat with Ukitake while I was there. Apparently, Sayo has been arrested?" The blonde's eyebrows rose.

"Really?"

"Mhmm and guess who they sent after her. No one other than Byakuya-bo." He laughed loudly.

"Wooow. Figures they would send him."

"Doesn't it though? Ha ha."

"Wait, Sayori-sama is back in the Seireitei? With nii-sama?"

"Seems that way, Rukia."

"But I thought that Sayori-sama was banished because of treason. So why is she back there? I thought criminals weren't allowed to return to the Seireitei."

"Some of the captains suspect her of causing Setsuna's disappearance. Head Captain Yamamoto ordered her arrest so they could question her."

"I heard you say that this Sayori person is Setsuna-chan's sister," Ichigo began. "But who exactly is she? Is she famous over there or something?"

"Sayo-san is the former lieutenant of Squad Six," Urahara explained. "She used to work under Kuchiki-san. She's the ex-head of the Hidaka clan and one of Yoruichi's in-laws."

"She used to be well respected among all of the shinigami and captains, because she was so damn good at kido," Yoruichi continued. "In fact, her kido ranked up there with the Kidōshū Sōshi's or Aizen's ability. However, all of that prestige was thrown away when she murdered the former captain of Squad Ten. Because killing a captain is considered treason, they put her on trial and convicted her."

"She was banished from the Soul Society and stricken from the achievement books," Rukia continued, her voice solemn and staring at her hands. "She was also banned from her house, the Shihoin house and our house. All of the other noble families condemned her as well, in fear that the murder would cause a war between the Ito and Hidaka families. There was already bad blood between them before the assassination of Ito-taicho. Nii-sama was pretty quiet the rest of that week. He hardly said a word to anyone, including our grandfather. He didn't show any indication of it, but I knew that he was upset." Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, Byakuya was emotional over someone? Are we talking about the same Byakuya? Did you hit your head or something?" Rukia growled as she clocked the red head over his skull.

"Shut up! Nii-sama has feelings too. He's not a robot." Ichigo smirked. _Coulda fooled me._ Setsuna bounced her eyes among the four individuals in the room. As she listened to the story, she couldn't help but feel some familiarity from it. However, she just could not remember anyone that was mentioned. Especially that Sayori woman. But did she really want to be related to a criminal who's not even welcome in her own home?

"So you guys mean to tell me that my own _sister_ is a convicted felon?" Urahara nodded.

"Ding ding ding! Thaaat's right. She was tried, convicted and sentenced thirty years ago." Setsuna's eye's widened.

"Thirty years? Is my sister like in her fifties?"

"Mmm, actually I think she's only 240 something. She's still pretty young."

"You guys are lying. There's no way that a human can live that long."

"You're right," Yoruichi said, with a sly grin on her face. "A human can't live that long. But a shinigami can. You're about 170, Setsu."

"What? No I'm not. I'm only sixteen years old. I'll turn seventeen in a few months." Yoruichi stared into the girl's eyes for a few moments. She could tell that Setsuna was serious and really did not remember that she was a shinigami. _Wow, that seal really did work, huh Sayo? Impressive._

"I wonder how nii-sama feels finally seeing Sayori-sama after so many years," Rukia thought out loud. Yoruichi laughed loudly.

"Oh you know Byakuya-bo. He's probably being all stubborn about the situation. He's probably telling everyone that it doesn't matter to him that she's back. Ha ha, that man."

"That sounds like something he'd do," Ichigo agreed. He looked over at Setsuna, who was busy fiddling with the hem of the skirt of her school uniform. He then turned to the two former captains. "Has the Soul Society given any instructions on what to do with Setsuna-chan?" The blue eyed girl immediately raised her head.

"Yes, that's what I meant to tell you earlier. Yamamoto-sou-taicho has ordered that she be brought back to the Seireitei."

"What?"

"He wants her there so they can monitor her reiatsu. If her reiatsu becomes unstable down here, then Karakura Town would be in grave danger."

"Well, when does he want her to come? She's not ready to cross over into the Soul Society until she gets her memories back." Urahara shook his head.

"No can do, Ichigo. There's no room for error. I'm sure Yamamoto-sou-taicho ordered for an immediate return. Right, Yoruichi?"

"That's what I heard." Setsuna slammed her hands on the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"I'm not going to any Soul Society or whatever you call it," she protested, her voice filled with defiance.

"Sorry, Hidaka-san, but you have no choice," Urahara said. "You are a shinigami. Your place is in the Soul Society. We must maintain the balance of things."

"How many times do I have to tell you people that I am not a damn shinigami? I am human! I am a sixteen year old, _human_ girl! And I –". She paused. She looked past Yoruichi and Urahara as a white, rectangular light suddenly appeared in the room. Upon closer inspection she could see that it was an illuminated door. Her eyes widened and her breathing hitched as the shoji screens slowly slid open. Those cerulean eyes became bigger when she saw a teenage boy and a large breasted woman step from behind the doors before they disappeared altogether. Everyone was silent as they stared at the new guests. Ichigo was the first one to speak.

"To – Toshiro?" The white haired boy glared at the red head.

"That's Hitsugaya-taicho to you, Kurosaki."

"Ahhh, long time no see Hitsugaya-taicho. You too Matsumoto-fukutaicho. Welcome back to my shop."

"Thanks!" Rangiku replied with a cheery voice and a wink. Toshiro stared at Setsuna, who looked like she had seen death knock at her door.

"So you must be Setsuna." She slid back a little.

"Maybe. Who are you? Are you one of those shinigami things?"

"I am the captain of Squad Ten, Toshiro Hitsugaya. This is my lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. I have been ordered by the Soul Society to bring you back to the Seireitei." Setsuna's eyes darkened.

"I don't know you or what you all are talking about. I am not going anywhere with you!"

"You have no choice in the matter. Orders are orders."

"Why? Why won't you all just leave me alone? Gee! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"We know that, Suna-chan," Rangiku said, in a much calmer voice. "We just want to bring you back to the Soul Society for your safety and for the safety of the real world. Please do not resist."

"They're right, Setsuna," Rukia agreed. "You have to go, otherwise the Menos will keep appearing in Karakura Town and that will put everyone living here in danger." Ichigo stared sympathetically at the confused girl. He could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. He could also see that she was on the verge of tears. How stressful it must be to not remember one's past. How terrifying it is to have people you don't know take you to a place that you never knew existed. He felt for his friend. And he did not want to leave her hanging. At least with him there, she'd have some sort of familiarity.

"But – but, I – I just don't know," Setsuna weakly said, her voice breaking.

"Setsuna-chan." The princess lifted her head and turned toward Ichigo. His face was friendly; his voice soothing. "Don't be afraid. I will go with you to the Soul Society. I will be right by your side every step of the way." Something about the sincerity in the young man's voice put her at ease. Although she didn't know what laid before her in this mysterious place, she felt somewhat better about the entire situation. And she didn't want anything bad to happen to Orihime, Chad, Uryu, or the rest of her friends at Karakura High School. So she gave.

She sniffled. She breathed deeply. She lifted her head and stared the white haired captain directly in his turquoise eyes. "Alright. I will go with you." She slowly rose to her feet, followed by Ichigo and Rukia. She rounded the small table and walked over to the Squad Ten officials. She began to second guess her decision when she stared into the abyss that was the Senkaimon. However, Ichigo gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and another warm smile. He and Rukia stepped in front of her and went in first. She exhaled deeply before following them inside. A few moments later, Yoruichi and Urahara were left all alone. The blonde man sighed loudly.

"Well, that was quite intense," he said with a slight smirk. Yoruichi smirked as well.

"Yeah, it was. More than I thought it would be anyway."

"I had a feeling that she was causing those Menos to appear after Ichigo and Kuchiki-san told me where they were. But I thought that Hidaka-san's seal was supposed to last for fifty years. It's only been twenty five. Something must have gone wrong."

"I guess Sayo couldn't get the incantations of the kido quite right. I guess we now see why that particular spell is forbidden." Urahara nodded his head and folded his arms.

"You think they'll put Sayo-san to death for this?" Yoruichi sighed.

"There's a possibility. But I seriously doubt it. I think Ukitake and Kyoraku might try to appeal it if they do. I'm sure that they don't wanna see Sayo executed." Urahara grinned a little.

"You think they would be the only ones that would try to appeal it?" Yoruichi grinned as well. She shook her head.

"If I know Byakuya-bo like I think I do. I don't think he'll take too kindly to a death sentence either." Urahara laughed.

"He knows that he loves that girl." Yoruichi laughed as well.

"Yeah, but it will be a cold day in Hell before he admits it."

* * *

**A/N: **_Oh my, that really is a sticky situation. The next chapter is Sayori's hearing/trial. Some secrets will be revealed (uh oh). I have already written about half of it so the next update should be faster (I hope -_-'). Take care all! Be safe! And I'll see you guys soon :)_


	8. After the Love Has Gone

**Hey everyone I'm not dead see lol. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has kept up with this story over the years. I have two new chapters for you guys, so I hope you enjoy :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**50 years ago . . .**

"Oi, Byakuya-kun." The Kuchiki clan leader stopped in his tracks and turned around in the direction his name was called. The Squad Eight captain and the Squad Thirteen captain were walking toward him with two friendly smiles on their faces.

"Kyoraku-senpai. Ukitake-senpai."

"Hey there Byakuya-kun. We heard the good news. Congratulations."

"Thank you very much, Kyoraku-senpai."

"Are you excited about your first day Byakuya-kun?" Jushiro asked with a smile.

"Whether I am excited or not is not the issue senpai. I have earned the right to lead Squad Six and it is my duty to perform in the highest regard. Personal feelings are not an issue." Jushiro and Shunsui chuckled to themselves and shook his head.

"My, my, my. Aren't you the spitting image of Ginrei-sama," Shunsui smiled. "Try not to overwork yourself, Byakuya-kun."

"I appreciate the words of advice. I apologize for not being able to chat, but I must be going now." The dark haired man regally turned before his two seniors and continued his journey to the Squad Six barracks.

"It's funny how that little snotty brat turned out to be such an emotionless man," Shunsui noted.

"Ay, yes it is. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be possible."

"It's funny how people change sometimes. The last thing you expected them to be is what they turn out to be."

"Yes, I agree. But all the same, the Gotei 13 has gotten a wonderful addition to the captaincy. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Squad Six meets their captain for the first time." Jushiro sighed deeply and shook his head and smiled, thinking of the terrified looks that could plague the minds of the esteemed men and women of Squad Six.

As soon as the noble stepped a solitary foot inside the barracks, all of the active members of Squad Six appeared to great him. They all kneeled before him on one kneel, heads toward the ground.

"Welcome Captain. Squad Six is pleased to follow you," one of the seated shinigami greeted. Byakuya walked over until he stood right in front of him.

"You all may rise," he said in a flat, monotone. Instantly, all squad members erected their positions. He stared directly at the young man in front of him. "You. Are you my lieutenant?" The brunette man shook his head.

"No Sir, I am only the fourth seat. According to today's attendance sheet, the new lieutenant should already be here. However, I'm currently the highest ranked officer in front of you now. I have no idea where the lieutenant is." Byakuya narrowed his eyes. _I shall not accept this kind of foolishness under my regime. I don't know who this man is, but he shall be punished for his disregard of protocol._

"I understand. You all may be dismissed. Proper introductions shall occur later after I discover the whereabouts of my lieutenant."

"Yes Sir!" The squad members quickly disbursed as quickly as they came. The raven haired shinigami continued his graceful stroll down the barracks headed toward his office. However, as he made his journey, the sound of something caught his ear. It was music, or so he thought. Steady drum beat, brass and woodwind blowing, the distinct sound of bass. Yes, it was definitely that music those humans called "jazz". Byakuya's expression became sterner as the melodies continued to saturate his ear. It was not the music itself that frustrated him, rather it was the fact that the closer he came to his office, the louder the music became. _Who has the audacity to play this so loudly in my office? Everyone should be working._

Byakuya froze after opening the large, heavy doors to his office. The individual listening to the music iced over as well. Two sets of eyes widened briefly as names escaped lips.

"Sayori."

"Byakuya?!"

"Turn the music off now."

"Wait, what? What are you doing here?"

"This is my office, and I would like it silent. Now turn off that music." Sayori obeyed and walked over to the record and silenced the notes. She smirked as she walked over to the desk where her best friend now sat. She sat down on the edge in front of him. She flipped her short bob and chuckled to herself.

"Boy oh boy. That geezer has one sick sense of humor. Of all the people I could have been lieutenant to and he sticks me with you. Crazy old man."

"Show respect for the head captain. Do not use that terminology in my presence."

"You're right. Sorry, I was just thinking out loud."

"Maybe you should change your thoughts as well." Sayori grinned and rolled her eyes. "You didn't show with the rest of the squad to greet me today."

"I'm sorry; I didn't know that was obligatory."

"It is good etiquette to present yourself to the new captain. You and I were both raised in homes with a high pedigree. You should know this."

"It's kind of hard to present yourself to someone that you already know. Like, I don't know, my best friend?"

"You and I are not friends while we are serving the Gotei 13. We are soldiers."

"Friends, soldiers, whatever. You and I are still the same people. Regardless, we are still best friends." Byakuya looked down on the huge pile of files and documents before him. He sighed deeply as he picked some of them up and began to read. The young woman smirked again. "Oh so, you're going to ignore me now?"

"It is not ignoring you. It's called work. Something that you should get to."

"I was when you came in. I was organizing all of the books and the files and documents on this bookshelf. I at least wanted my new captain's work space to be decent." Byakuya looked over his papers at the tall lady. Sayori rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that look. You know I'm thoughtful when I want to be."

"I did not argue with you. I have known you for several years. You do not have to tell me things that I already know." Sayori smiled softy to herself and tilted her head down, slightly embarrassed. About a second or two after, she shook it hard, trying to erase that feeling. _Ugh, there you go again. His wife died years ago and he's still in love with her. You're in love with Zi. Stop being an idiot, Sayo._

"Have you introduced yourself to the squad?" Sayori lifted her head, jerked out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh . . . um, yea to attendance office and a few more people. Why?"

"I want you to organize a formal dinner tonight with some of the highest rank seats. I want it to be tasteful and regal enough for a noble to attend. It should not be like some of the lascivious parties that you and Zi throw together."

"Yeah, I definitely find offense to that. Our parties are fun."

"Maybe for your fellow heathens, but they are not suitable for tonight." She smiled.

"Okay, captain. I will get right on it." She stood up and walked over to the door.

"One more thing." Sayori paused in the doorway and turned to look at him. He looked at her with the same, unreadable stoic face. "I am glad that you were assigned to my squad. It is always good to have a lieutenant you can trust." She tried to hide it, but a huge smile spread across her face. She simply nodded her head and quickly exited the room before he could see her blush.

* * *

All nine captains in the large, dark secondary meeting room immediately turned their eyes to the door as it opened and light began to come inside. They maintained that eye contact on the young former noble as she was escorted in by the punishment squad. Had they not have known the circumstances; they might not have guessed that she was of a high pedigree. Dressed in her torn clothing, bandages covering the wounds that she had incurred earlier that day, her hair in disarray and her wrists in shackles, one would think that she was no more than a common prisoner. In some of their eyes, she indeed was.

The punishment squad sat her down in an uncomfortable, red chair in the very middle of the room and in the middle of the nine captains. Captains Soi Fon, Kenpachi Zaraki and Mayuri Kurotsuchi surrounded her left side; Captains Shunsui Kyoraku, Retsu Unohana, and Sajin Kommamura on her right; and Captains Byakuya Kuchiki, Jushiro Ukitake and the Head Capitan were in front. The Punishment Squad guarded the door. Although there were multiple people in the room that she could direct her anger toward, Sayori never once took her eyes off her former best friend. She stared daggers into him with her ice cold glare and he did not back down from her silent challenge.

"This hearing has now officially come to order," Head Capitan Yamamoto said in an authoritative voice. He lowered his gaze to the woman who was slightly below him. "Sayori Shihoin of the Hidaka and Shihoin clans, former lieutenant of Squad Six, you have been officially charged with the kidnapping of Setsuna Hidaka and illegally holding her captive in the world of the living. How do you plead?" Sayori turned her glare from Byakuya and looked Yamamoto right in the eyes with supreme confidence and defiance. She smirked a little before she gave her answer.

"Guilty." A few of the captains shifted in their seats. Soi Fon jumped out of hers.

"I knew it! We should execute this bitch now. She's nothing but trouble. I knew that she was why Setsuna went missing all those years ago." Sayori turned to Soi-Fon and stared daggers into her.

"You know nothing of what I did!"

"I don't?! Oh, well please inform me of why I should actually listen to the lies of a cold blooded killer!"

"I did what I had to do at the time! It was my only choice!"

"Ohhh your only choice was it?! Well of course it was! It was not like you could have become the Squad Ten captain on your own merit now was it?! No you had to off Kazumi Ito-taicho to get the spot!"

"Now, now, taicho," Shunsui said, trying to be rational as tempers rapidly began to fair.

"I have to say that Soi-Fon-taicho makes a lot of sense," Sajin said. "What other motive could there have been? Sounds very logical to me."

"Yes her motive is extremely logical," Mayuri agreed. "Especially given the bad history between the Hidaka and Ito clans. I'm not surprised that the girl wanted Ito-taicho's head on a stake."

"My point exactly," Soi-Fon smirked as she sat back down.

"You all know nothing of what happened between Kazumi Ito and me!" Sayori shouted, struggling against her constraints and shaking. "I did not murder Kazumi Ito simply because of the feud between my house and the Ito house! I never had an issue with Kazumi Ito! Since you all claim to know so much about what happened, then explain to me why in the hell would I try to kill her and take her spot as captain when we both were trying to negotiate peace between our clans?!"

"That's easy," Kenpachi said, feeling annoyed and bored. "You were powerful and so was she. You felt that you were more powerful and rightfully should have been captain. So you killed her, end of story. I don't see why you should be murdered though. I did the same thing."

"It doesn't quite work like that in other divisions you brute," Mayuri said.

"Ha! It should. Would save a lot of time on these annoying trials."

"I did not kill Kazumi Ito so I could become captain!"

"Oh so now you're saying that you didn't kill her!" Soi-Fon yelled.

"No! I'm not saying that! I did kill her, but I only did it to protect my sister!"

"Lies!"

"How in the hell can you say that I am lying! You know nothing about what goes on between the noble houses! You think you do because you served under Yoruichi, but in reality you know nothing!"

"You bitch!"

"Sayori," Jushiro said, desperately trying to get a word in amongst the bickering captains. "What do you mean by that? Why were you trying to protect Setsuna-chan from Ito-taicho?" Sayori turned to the sickly captain with a much diluted look of hatred in her eyes. Although she still had not forgiven her former mentor for his part in having her banished from the Seireitei, she still had a lot of love for him. She also knew that he only did what he thought was the right thing to do. Not what he had wanted to do. She sighed deeply.

"It is true that, in the past, the Ito clan and my clan had a lot of bad blood between us. It has caused many fights and standoffs, neither of which I am proud of. However, when I became the leader of my clan and Kazumi became leader of hers, both of us agreed that the fighting needed to stop. We would work tirelessly trying to craft an official agreement that our elders would have no problem following. And after they signed it, little by little, the attitudes between the clans began to soften. Things really were beginning to get better."

"One night while I was up late working at the Squad Six barracks, I receive a message. In the message, it told me that Kazumi Ito had decided to break the agreement between the two clans and was planning on assassinating Setsuna. During that time, I was about to step down as clan leader and transfer power over to my sister. She had finally matured enough and I was ready to take Zi's name and start a family with him. The night before that transfer was to occur was when I received the message."

"So in order to protect your sister, you thought it was your duty to take out Ito-taicho," Shunsui said as he intently listened. Sayori nodded her head.

"Foolish," Byakuya said. Sayori turned to him, the hatred in her eyes once again at full effect. "You put the fate of your clan, the Gotei 13 and yourself in danger just because you heard a rumor that you sister was going to die. Very poor judgment on your part. You should have inquired for more proof."

"I had all the proof I needed at the time! I heard about it from a very reliable source and I even overhead Kazumi Ito herself mention it. I found the woman's plans all mapped out! What other proof did I need?! And how dare you tell me I was being foolish when I came to you personally to help me! I didn't ever intend on killing Kazumi Ito but after you refused to help me, I had no other choice!" Every captain in the room turned to Byakuya, who was still partaking in the stare down with the cerulean eyed woman.

"What does she mean, Byakuya-kun," Shunsui asked. Byakuya remained silent. Sayori smirked and shook her head. She chuckled a little.

"Same reaction now as I got back then: silence." The captain's eyes hardened on his former best friend's. She did not back down at all. She turned to Shunsui as she answered. "Both the Hidaka and the Ito clans serve the Kuchiki house. Albeit that there are several other houses that claim servitude under the Kuchiki's, but our clans held the highest stature. So as a result, due to the feuding and the threat on my sister's life, I felt that the leader of the Kuchiki clan would be able to stop it. But you know what that great leader said to me as I stood there pleading for his assistance. He told me that it was none of his business and that as clan leader; I should be able to stand on his own feet. He did not offer to keep the peace nor did he offer to intervene and stand up against the conspiracy. No, he just pushed me aside like I was any old person. Not his lieutenant, not his faithful servant, not his best friend."

Byakuya grinded his teeth but listened quietly as the young shinigami began to recount the events surrounding the incident. He could feel a few of the captains' eyes shift between him and her.

"So I proceeded on without the help of my so called best friend. I took all of the evidence that I had and I confronted Kazumi Ito about it later on that night. Kazumi at first tried to deny that she orchestrated the plot to kill my little sister, but she eventually owned up to it. A struggle ensued and the next thing I know, Kazumi laid in the middle of the room, unmoving on the hard floor with blood steadily pouring out of her stomach." She swallowed hard. The hatred that consumed her being at that time began to dwindle and the sadness she felt started to resonate on her face. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the captains, especially the Squad Six captain.

"After I had been captured and placed in a holding cell by the punishment squad, they allowed me to make a few phone calls. The very first person I called was your honorable Squad Six captain." And just like that the hatred returned, possibly the strongest it had been that evening. The dark haired man anticipated what she would say next and listened intently, ready to defend himself from her defaming tale. "I called Byakuya and I told him what had happened in complete detail. I asked for his assistance again to help me get out of prison. Of all the people who knew my character on the Gotei 13, he unquestionably knew me the best of all. He knew, in fact you all knew that I would never, ever commit a murder without cause. But after all of that, do you know what your so-called honorable captain did? He told me to never call him again and that he never wanted to see me again."

"Do not try to blame me or play like you are the victim in this situation, Sayori!" Byakuya cried out as he slammed his fist on the desk. "You did this, not me. I am not the one who stabbed Kazumi Ito in the stomach that was you! You did not have all the evidence and you jumped to conclusions like you always do. That's exactly why I didn't help you. You are reckless, haphazard and irrational. You did not even have one shroud of evidence to link Ito-taicho to an assassination attempt."

"I did have evidence! My proof was solid don't give me that!"

"You had a hunch and a rumor. That was it. Nothing more. Period."

"I had physical and visual evidence that she plotted to have Setsu killed! You think I would just attack a Gotei 13 captain and murder her all on a hunch?! Are you kidding me?!"

"Sayori I know –"

"No! Don't give me this I know crap! I know what I know and I know that Kazumi did plan to have her killed!"

"Sayori –"

"So I killed Kazumi and kidnapped my sister and hid her in the real world so she could be safe from the wrath of the Ito clan."

"Sayori –"

"You of all people should know what it's like to risk your own life, to break a military oath and to wrestle with what to do when someone tries to kill your sister. Your only sister and the only sibling that you have left."

"Do not compare my actions with yours."

"Why not?! You did the same thing I did yet you have the nerve to judge me! Seriously fuck you!"

"You had no proof!"

"I did have proof!"

"Then why is it that after the murder, no one could find anything about an assassination attempt? Huh? You acted on an unfounded rumor and you paid the price that you needed to pay for it. You break the law, you do the time."

"Well you surely didn't you fucking hypocrite!"

"That is enough!" The room instantly fell silent as the head captains voice boomed through the halls. The staring match between the two continued. The contentious atmosphere could be cut with a chainsaw. Several years of unstated feelings slipping from the tense lips of each of them. Hurt and anger filling them both. The head captain cleared his voice before he continued.

"I have heard enough. I have learned enough during today's hearing that I am positive of which action that I should take next. In any moment now, Hitsugaya-taicho should be returning from the real world with one Setsuna Hidaka. As soon as she is returned, I order that he accompany the girl to the Research and Development facility where he and his squad members will watch over her. Kurotsuchi-taicho, I want you to research this girl and determine her mental state and determine exactly what Shihoin-san did to keep her hidden so effectively." A sadistic grin spread across Mayuri's face.

"He he well it's my pleasure of course. This certainly will be interesting."

"After she is released from Research and Development, Unohana-taicho, I want you to care for the girl in your barracks until we can find a more permanent place for her."

"Yes, head captain."

"As for the prisoner, Sayori Shihoin . . . I am going to grant you temporary release from prison."

"Head Captain! Have you lost your mind?!" Soi-Fon shouted, outraged by his decree.

"Sit down taicho!"

"But captain –"

"I said sit down!" Soi-Fon growled as she obeyed his order. "Because of the fervor in which you pled your case during this hearing, I am going to reinvestigate the Kazumi Ito murder to see if there is any validity to your testimony."

"Head captain are you sure about this?" Sajin questioned.

"Furthermore," Yamamoto continued without pause, "I would like it to be Squad Two's duty to investigate with the assistance of Squad Eight." Soi-Fon cocked her head to the side.

"Oh you can't be serious. Please someone tell me he's joking." Shunsui chuckled.

"Now now captain, it's not like she's staying at your place and you're taking care of her."

"This brings me to my last order. I am temporarily removing the prisoner, Sayori Shihoin and placing her under house arrest. She is to remain in the custody of Byakuya Kuchiki effective immediately and until further notice." Byakuya's eyes widened. He felt that the Head Captain had completely lost his mind. Had he been more like Soi-Fon or Kenpachi, he may have challenged him on his ruling. However, Byakuya knew that once the head captain made up his mind, it was pretty much a done deal. Sayori, on the other hand, was more vocal about her disagreement.

"What?! I'm not staying with this arrogant son of a bitch!"

"Silence."

"No! I won't shut up! This asshole destroyed my home and now you're ordering me to break bread in his home?!"

"I will never break bread with a common criminal much less share a roof with one. Captain, this situation should not happen."

"For once we agree!"

"I said silence!" The two ex-best friends instantly quieted. Yamamoto looked at both and growled slightly. "I have made my decision. It is final. It is not an option, but a command. It is to take effect immediately. No questions asked!"

Yamamoto raised his hand and motioned for the punishment squad to come forward and collect Sayori to escort her out. The captains all remained silent as they watched the woman who they once deeply respected or called friend go back to the prison cell which she temporarily called home. They couldn't help but notice the seething anger on her face, but some also noticed the hurt on it as well. No one noticed this more than Byakuya. However, it did not move him at all. _This is her doing. She caused it and now she must deal with the consequences. All criminals must pay the price._

He didn't say a word to any of the captains as he left the meeting hall. In fact, he didn't say a word to anyone as he walked back to the Kuchiki Manor. He closed himself off in his bedroom, felt down on the covers and slowly closed his eyes, knowing that in the morning his once esteemed and peaceful home would soon become his own personal Hell.

* * *

**A/N:** Ohhhh it's getting real :O


	9. The Way we Were

**The next chapter to this story. Hope you all enjoy :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**Over 100 years ago . . .**

Byakuya whistled softly to himself as he treaded up the gravely pathway leading to the gorgeous Hidaka clan estate. The weather was excellent; the sun was brightly shining high in the sky, the breeze was cool and relaxing, the birds were singing their melodious tunes in the trees. All in all, it was a "perfect" summer afternoon in the Soul Society. So "perfect" that it even made his hot headed and brash temperament calmer.

The guards at the large gate that secured the estate from the vigilantes of the Soul Society smiled and respectfully bowed before the teenage boy as he closely approached the manor.

"Afternoon, young Lord Kuchiki," the two burly men simultaneously greeted Byakuya as he paused in front of them.

"Hey. I came to see Sayori. She's home, right?"

"Yes, Kuchiki-sama. I believe she is in the far garden with Hidaka-sama and her sister," the strongest looking guard replied.

"Ok, thanks." Byakuya rocked on his heels a little as the large gate slowly began to separate. Before it was fully opened, and there was only a miniscule crack that he could fit through, Byakuya slipped inside the grounds.

The Hidaka manor was at its height of beauty during this time of year. The grass was a healthy shade of green and had been freshly cut. The small pond at the entrance of the grounds was lively as the large koi swam back and forth with zeal. The scent of the cherry blossoms and the other various flowers that Lady Yume Hidaka had requested to be planted was carried along the breeze and happily cuddled up to Byakuya's nose. But it was not unusual for the estate to have such beauty. Yoshimitsu held his pride up to a high standard that one would not expect less of his habitation. However, there _was_ something about the estate that was unusual today.

"It's too quiet here," Byakuya said to himself, with slightly raised eyebrows, as he continued on the path leading to the far garden by the bedrooms. _Way too quiet. I wonder are they having some kind of ceremony. Oh crap. If they are, I hope I'm not interrupting. Grandfather would berate me for interrupting if I did. I don't want to hear another lecture._

Byakuya's fear of having another scolding by his elder did not last long as he began to hear the deep, baritone voice of the Squad Five Capitan, Yoshimitsu, and the voices of younger girls. When he rounded the corner, he saw that Yoshimitsu and Yume were both dressed in formal and elaborate outfits standing in front of Sayori, Setsuna and Cho, who were all dressed normally.

"Now I want you all to get along and treat each other with respect while your mother and I are gone. That means no fighting, no arguing, no cutting HAIR," he narrowed his eyes on his youngest child, Setsuna, who in turn smiled innocently. "No running, no bullying, no pranks. Nothing that will either get you in trouble with the law or will get you hurt. Got it?"

"Yes Uncle Yoshi."

"Yes Daddy."

"Yea, ok."

"Oh hello, Byakuya," Yume greeted the young man with a warm smile as he began to walk over to where the family was congregated.

"Hello Lady Yume and Lord Yoshi. You both look lovely. Are you attending the banquet with head captain Yamamoto as well? My father and mother left for the event not too long ago."

"Why yes, son, the Mrs. and I were just about to leave. Sayori and Cho are watching Setsuna for us while we are away, so Sayori is not available to subject herself to entertainment right now."

"Oh? Well, I can stay here and help the ladies babysit Setsuna if you'd like." Sayori rolled her eyes as Byakuya talked to her parents. _He always talks so prim and proper when he's around them, but as soon as they leave he turns into an ass. Such a phony._

"Yes, I think that's a great idea hun. The more, the merrier," Yume agreed. Yoshimitsu shrugged.

"Eh, can't argue with the wife now can I. I'm fine with it. Y'all just hip him up to my rules, ok?"

"Yes, Uncle Yoshi."

"Yup."

"Ok. We'll be back later on this evening. You all behave and thanks Byakuya." The young teens and the even younger Setsuna waved off the noble couple as the exited the garden and went inside the manor. Once the coast was clear, Sayori turned and narrowed her eyes at the boy. She reached up and covered the ears of her little sister.

"You sucking up fuck," she hissed at him with a smirk. Byakuya narrowed his eyes back at the young woman.

"I am not sucking up. It's called respect. Just because you're a rude toad, doesn't mean that your parents are."

"I'd rather be a toad than an ass kisser."

"The hell? You do the same thing around my parents and grandfather. You're a hypocrite."

"Kiss my entire a – "

"Hey! I'm sure she can hear," Cho interrupted the two bickering friends, pointing at the smiling girl who was below them. Sayori's mouth dropped a little before letting go of Setsuna's ears.

"What's a fuck?" Setsuna innocently asked as soon as she was free of her sister's grip. Sayori felt her heartbeat quicken and her palms sweat. Cho face palmed and Byakuya bit his lower lip. Sayori chuckled nervously.

"It's something that we can never say around mommy and daddy."

"Why not?"

"Because if mommy and daddy hears big sister said that word in front of you, they will kill big sister. You don't want your sister to die do you?" A look of fear clouded the child's face.

"No."

"Good. Then promise me that you will never say those words in front of mom and dad."

"I promise."

"Good." Sayori let out a relieved sigh mimicked by Cho. Byakuya smirked. _So glad I don't have siblings._

The four nobles went out to the patio in the middle of the garden; Setsuna bringing her arsenal of dolls that were given to her the previous Christmas from Jushiro. The three teenagers sat on the benches by the stone fountain while they monitored Setsuna playing in the grassy area several feet away from the garden's larger, more koi abundant pond. Sayori pulled out an ornate brush and began to brush her long locks, Cho began reading a novel, and Byakuya sky watched. The three sat in silence for a while before the young man abruptly sat up. He sighed deeply and stared at his two companions.

"You guys are boring," he bluntly said. Cho looked up from her book puzzled and Sayori rolled her eyes, continuing to brush her hair.

"Not as boring as you, Kuchiki-dono," she replied. "Besides, we have to watch Setsu. We cannot be goofing off, as much as I'd like to. Dad would freaking kill us."

"Aunt Yume too."

"Right."

"I came here to have some fun. If I wanted to be this bored, I would have gone to that old guy's tea party that Grandfather invited me to."

"Pft. You're not classy enough to attend a tea ceremony. Captain Yamamoto would throw you out. Then Ginrei-sama would be pissed."

"Shut up! At least I was invited."

"Yea by Ginrei-sama. Not the head captain."

"Well, I heard that the head captain's tea ceremonies aren't much fun anyways. You're probably having more fun here than you would there anyways."

"That's right. So stop your bitching, Byakuya-bo."

"I'm not bitching, I'm stating a fact. And don't call me that. I hate that nickname." Sayori grinned evilly as she stopped stroking her hair and set the brush down beside her. The grin grew as she leaned into the boy. Cho sighed deeply, trying her best to focus in on her novel, but she figured that there was no point. _Here they go. Figures._

"Awww, why not? By-a-ku-ya-bo? Are you embarrassed by it? I think it's adorable."

"I said don't freaking call me that. And I don't care if it's cute or not. It's annoying as hell. It's annoying when that damn demon cat does it and it's even more annoying when you do it."

"But aren't you part of the great Kuchiki clan? You shouldn't be phased by cutesy nicknames. Man up and let it roll off your back."

"Okay then, I'm going to give you a nickname then. Toilet Mouth."

"Toilet Mouth?! The hell!"

"Yea because everything that comes out your mouth is crap!"

"Only when I'm talking to crappy people!"

"Oh? I didn't know I turned into a mirror!"

"You didn't! You're the same kissing' ass fuck that you were before!"

"Oh my god, can you two please shut up?!" Cho interrupted, slamming her book closed. She shook her head and grinded her teeth. "Geez, all you two do is argue. It's so annoying and unbecoming. Please get it together. You both look like common train wrecks."

"I'm not a train wreck! He is!" Byakuya growled as he jumped up from the bench. Sayori did the same. The two stepped closer and closer to each other until they were only inches apart. Cho rolled her eyes again and buried her face in her palm, shaking it in frustration. Sayori smirked as she saw her best friend struggle to control his temper; his breathing rapid and his face covered in a light sweat. Byakuya noticed the celebratory grin on her face and became even angrier.

"I ought to wipe that dumb smile off your ugly face!"

"You're just talk. You're not going to hit me. Your dad and my dad would skin you alive." He growled again, knowing that she was right.

"You just wait! When we begin the Soul Reaper Academy next year, you're going to get handled every day! I can really fight you then!"

"Why not just do it now, big man!"

"You are such an annoying bitch!" Now Sayori's temper rose significantly.

"Bitch?! How fucking dare you call me that in MY house!"

"This is not YOUR house! It's your dad's idiot!"

"Whatever! It's still not yours!"

"Oh my god shut up! Just shut up!" Cho jumped up, now almost as mad as the other two. "You two fight over the stupidest crap! It's not a big deal! Get over it! Just find a way t –

_SPLOOSH!_

The eldest teenager immediately paused as the loud sound of something hitting water saturated her ear. Byakuya and Sayori also immediately stopped their argument as they looked over Cho's shoulder and noticed that Setsuna was gone from her original playing spot. The elementary aged girl and a few of her dolls had wandered dangerously to the pond and Setsuna became its victim. Sayori gasped loudly in horror as she ran toward her little sister with Byakuya and Cho following closely behind. Her chest tightened as she heard the girl's frightened cries mixed in with the splashing and gurgling of water. The blue haired girl didn't even bother to remove her sandals as she jumped head first into the pond and swam to where the girl was. She grabbed Setsuna by the waist and swam back over to the two frightened teens standing on the bank. Cho immediately grabbed Setsuna from the water while Byakuya helped Sayori exit.

"Setsu! Setsu are you okay?!" Sayori cried as she crawled over to the girl, both of them gasping for air. Setsuna nodded weakly as she choked on air. She attempted to say "yes" but the attempt made her choke even more. Cho frantically lifted the girl in her arms.

"I'm going to take her inside. She needs medical attention." Sayori nodded in agreement and watched helplessly as her cousin hurried off with the child. She fought back tears as she continued to breathe rapidly, slapping the ground angrily with her dripping wet fists.

"Ugh how could I let this happen?! That's my sister! My only sister! Dammit!" Sayori buried her hands in her face, on the verge of tears when she felt a tight grip around her arm and waist. Byakuya sympathetically patted her back as she rose to her feet, continuing to hide her now tear stained face. Byakuya said nothing and quietly listened to the girl sob as he helped her inside and guided her to her bedroom.

* * *

"I cannot believe that I am this nervous. I have never been nervous like this in my entire life. Not even for the exit exam for the Soul Reaper Academy." Arisu swayed from side to side, wringing her hands as she eyed the Senkaimon with great intensity. Renji sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

"I must admit, I'm feeling a little nervous too. It's been so long since I've seen her. Still feels surreal knowing that she has been alive all this time."

"I know right! I'm also in shock. I've missed her so much. I guess you can tell by my excitement." Renji smirked and nodded his head.

"Yea, the only time I see you this excited is when you're about to ride a di – " Arisu did not allow Renji to finish his statement as she promptly clunked him in the back of his head. The red head winced as he clinched the back of his head. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"That big mouth of yours. Stop talking about my personal life in public."

"Your personal life IS public." Renji laughed as Arisu attempted to hit him again but missed. Arisu considered to continue to pursue her long time friend, but paused as the gates of the Senkaimon began to open. Both she and Renji stood completely still as the gates continued to spread and a bright light filled the empty space. Mere moments later, two hell butterflies flew out of the light. Almost at the exactly same time, the first feet of the travelers appeared. Toshiro exited first, followed by Rangiku. Then Rukia, Ichigo, and lastly, Setsuna who was hiding behind Ichigo's tall frame.

"Oi, Hitsugaya-taicho. Rangiku. Rukia. Ichigo." Renji waved as the group walked closer. He leaned a little to his left to try to get a full glimpse of Setsuna, but with no avail.

"Hey Renji," Ichigo replied, saluting the lieutenant with his right hand. The group stopped in front of Renji and Arisu. Ichigo looked over his shoulder and gave the still frightened girl a reassuring smile. "We're here." Setsuna slowly nodded her head as she stepped from behind the tall teenager. After allowing her cerulean eyes adjust to the light, she stared in amazement at the buildings and vastness of the Seireitei. She was in awe of how structured the place looked. She was expecting more chaos from how she had seen Ichigo and Rukia fight the hollows in Karakura Town. The place was so grand and strange and yet to some degree . . . familiar. Why _do I feel like I've seen this place before?_

"SUNA-CHIN!" Setsuna was startled out of her thoughts as she suddenly found herself engulfed in the arms (and breasted) of her greatly endowed best friend. Her eyes widened as she struggled for air.

"W-w-what in the hell?"

"It has been far too long, babe. Ugh I thought I'd never see you again! I'm so glad you're alive! Welcome home!"

"Home? Who are you? What? I don't know you. Please get off of me." Arisu gasped. She let go of the girl and stared into her eyes with shock.

"W-what? You don't recognize me? Suna-chin, I'm your best friend. I'm Arisu."

"A-Arisu?"

"Yes. Arisu Mochizuki from the Mochizuki clan. We've been best friends for a very long time. How can you not remember me?" Setsuna shook her head.

"I – I'm sorry. I don't . . . know you." Arisu felt her heart drop for a second time. She felt like she was losing her best friend again.

"I know, it must be my hair. I was a redhead and it was much shorter when we last saw each other."

"Setsuna cannot remember anything or anyone from her past," Renji said, solemnly as he put his hand on Arisu's shoulder. "She can't remember me either. Nor Rukia, Captain Ukitake, her family, or anyone else in the Soul Society." Arisu's eyes widened.

"W-what?"

"It's true, Arisu. She doesn't remember anything about her past or how she ended up in the world of the living," Rukia confirmed.

"Which is exactly why we were ordered to bring her back," Rangiku added. "If she had remained in the living world in this condition, who knows what bad things could have happened."

"That is correct," Toshiro agreed. "The head captain ordered for her return so Squad 12 can assess why she is this way and how her sister was able to trap her in the real world." Everyone's eyes, except for the three officers', widened.

"Squad 12?!"

"You mean she's going to crazy Kurotsuchi's lab so he can try his creepy inventions on her?"

"Sister?! Sayori-chan? What does she have to do with this?" Toshiro sighed deeply as he attempted to explain the situation.

"Yes, she needs to be brought to Squad 12 for evaluation. I know you all may not like the situation, but Kurotsuchi-taicho has the most knowledge for this kind of thing. Also, it was revealed to the captains last night, and to me via hell butterfly, that former Squad 6 lieutenant, Sayori Hidaka, is the reason why Setsuna disappeared." Rukia's and Ichigo's eyes widened and Arisu stumbled backward a little. Setsuna felt a little twinge of horror shoot up her spine. Although she did not know her sister, anyone who would kidnap and confine their sibling to a prison of sorts was not to be trusted. She already was regretting to agreeing to come to the Seireitei, but now that uncertainty worsened.

"Oh talk talk talk." The group turned around to see that Byakuya and Sayori were walking toward the Senkaimon where they all were congregated. Sayori was still in her shackles dressed in a plain, white yukata and plain sandals. Her hair had been pulled back into a high ponytail, showing off her signature, piercing cerulean eyes. Even though she was still officially a prisoner of the Soul Society, she still had an air about her as if she was in complete control. Something that Byakuya sensed and hated to his very core. "So much talk. That's all you captains know how to do. All that talk and little fact. No wonder how rumors get started."

"Be silent. You are under confinement," Byakuya ordered. Sayori scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"You've already taken my house, life and reputation. All I have left is my speech and I'll be dammed if you all take that too. You'll have to cut my tongue out first."

"That can be arranged." Byakuya placed his hand on Senbonzakura's hilt as a warning. Sayori smirked knowing that it was only a threat. _He's still the same asshole._

"So I surmise that you are Sayori Hidaka?" Toshiro said as he eyed the tall woman with suspicion. She smirked again.

"The one and only. You must be the Squad 10 captain."

"I am."

"Well finally nice to meet you. I guess you're the one I hate least due to the fact that you had no part in putting me in this predicament."

"You put yourself in this situation with your lack of judgment," Byakuya said, his voice stern and cold. Sayori rolled her eyes, not in the mood to invoke another argument with the Kuchiki lord. She roamed her eyes over the group in front of her. She grinned half heartedly.

"Well here are some more faces I haven't seen in quite some time. Hello you all." Nobody replied. They tried their best to avoid eye contact with the woman. Sayori chuckled to herself and shook her head. "I guess the rumors have suckered you in too. Funny how people I've known for so long are the quickest to shut me down. What a damn shame. So you have nothing to say Rangiku? Renji? Rukia?" None of them replied. Sayori stepped beside Arisu who was eyeing her feet. Her thoughts and emotions in complete disarray. "Not even you Arisu-chan? After the countless times that you have been over our house to play with Setsuna?" Arisu shook her head and squeezed her eyes tightly.

"I need to get outta here," she said more to herself than to anyone else. Without a second thought, she shunpoed away from the Senkaimon; Renji and Rukia shunpoed after her moments later. Sayori shook her head, feeling a slight twinge of hurt over lined with a stronger feeling of resentment. She lifted her head and laid her eyes on the cerulean eyed girl directly in front of her. Setsuna swallowed hard as she felt the former officer's eyes land on hers. She easily recognized the eyes, lips and facial structure being similar to her own. Yet she still could not compute the fact that this was her sister. _She's a criminal. A criminal! She is a murderer and she's the reason why I can't remember anything. I know I can't remember her, but I know enough to realize that she's bad. This girl can't be my sister. No. She just can't._

"Setsuna." She lifted her head to meet the older sibling's gaze. For the first time that day, one was able to spot something other than anger on Sayori's face. No, this looked more like relief mixed with happiness. And a little bit of sadness as well. She smiled warmly before she began to speak. "I am so happy to see you. I have missed you more than anyone will ever know. I thought I'd never get the chance to see you again. I'm glad that's not the case."

"Are . . . are you really . . . my sister?"

"Yes. Your only sister." Setsuna shook her head.

"W – Why . . . why would you?"

"I did what I did for a reason. I did it to protect you. That's all."

"Bullshit." Sayori and Setsuna looked up at Ichigo who had now come to stand directly beside Setsuna. "What kind of big sister kidnaps their little sister and throws her into the human world to be hollow food?" Sayori narrowed her eyes in anger.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're a pathetic sister. I'd never do that to my little sisters. I'd protect them, not ruin their lives."

"You don't know anything, so why are you speaking? You're getting your information from fools."

"I'm getting my info from the truth!"

"An altered truth! I know what I did and why I did it, don't you dare tell me it was not for her protection! And where do you get off telling me what is and what isn't right? Who the hell are you anyway?!"

"That's enough." Byakuya stepped over to where Sayori and Ichigo were about to draw battle lines. He gave them both a disapproving stare. "We did not come here to waste time arguing. We're here on orders. All of this additional nonsense is not necessary."

"Orders?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes, Hitsugaya-taicho. According to the orders by the Head Captain, I am supposed to take Setsuna back to the Squad Six barracks where she will be staying for the remainder of her time here in the Soul Society. Furthermore, she has been ordered to received soul reaper training from her sister while I supervise." A small shiver shot up Setsuna's spine.

"What? Training? But I'm not a soul reaper. How many times do I have to say this?"

"Yes you are. No matter what you may believe, your place is here in the soul society. Please do not waste time with these needless emotions."

"Byakuya, surely you can understand," Ichigo advocated.

"I only understand what has been directed to me. There is no choice in the matter. The head captain has stated his orders and now we must execute them." Setsuna turned to Ichigo, looking at him for help. Ichigo hung his head and sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry Setsuna. But at least you're in good hands. Byakuya knows what he is doing."

"But Ichigo, I –"

"I will be right here. I'm not leaving the Soul Society anytime soon. Don't worry." The girl still felt unsure about the whole situation, but she knew that she had better follow orders if she intended to live. Even if she didn't trust anyone here but Ichigo and, to a degree, Rukia. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to muster her courage as best as she could.

"Okay. I will go with you." She walked over to Byakuya and stood between him and Sayori. She didn't make eye contact with either and remained completely silent as they began to walk toward the Squad Six barracks. Ichigo began to follow them as well after Toshiro and Rangiku shunpoed back to the Squad Ten barracks. While he trusted Byakuya, he did not trust Sayori. At all. He felt that it was his duty to Setsuna to remain there and watch after her, like he had promised. She had already been through so much, another betrayal was the last thing she needed. He was determined to make sure that it would not happen.

* * *

"A toast to the future. A toast to good health, a prosperous future, and above all, a loving and successful marriage. Congratulations you two."

"Congrats!" Cho beamed from ear to ear as she lead a toast in honor of her cousin Bai-Ling and her fiancé. The banquet hall in the Hidaka manor was full with members from the Kuchiki clan, the Hidaka clan and other visiting clans as well. The clan leader was engaging in a wonderful and lively conversation with the couple when a man dressed in all black came to the head table and kneeled down beside her. Cho looked down at him with both shock and annoyance.

"Please pardon me for interrupting your dinner, Hidaka-sama, but I have urgent news that I was told to deliver to you."

"Can it wait until after the feast?"

"No Madame, it cannot. I was instructed to give you this message immediately." Cho sighed deeply as she placed her glass of sake on the table and folded her napkin.

"Very well then. Bai-Ling would you and your fiancé please excuse my departure. Something has just come up." Bai-Ling nodded and smile before Cho left the room.

"So what is this important piece of news?" Cho asked when she and the messenger arrived to a secluded area. The man removed the black hood and mask covering his face. It was the shinigami with the light hair. He grinned as he saw the young woman's eyes become saucers. "You! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you to tell you the news."

"What are you talking about?"

"It seems as if your cousin, Setsuna, has returned to the Soul Society." Cho's eyes became wider.

"What? I thought she had been killed!"

"Nope. Not in the least. She is in the custody of Squad Six, along with Sayori."

"So Byakuya-sama was able to find her, huh?"

"So you already knew about this?"

"No, just the Sayori part. Not about Setsuna." She turned around and grabbed her head with her hands. "This is crazy. I cannot believe this."

"Another juicy tidbit for you. It appears as if Setsuna cannot remember her past. It's like her brain has been wiped clean."

"Are you serious?"

"Like a heart attack."

"Wait, how are you able to know all of this? How did you find this out?"

"I still have my ways." The shinigami smiled sneakily. Cho grinned a little as she shook her head.

"Yes, I suppose you do." Cho turned around again and began to take small steps. "Still, this is surreal. There is no way that Setsuna should be alive. She has been missing for several years. All logic says she should have been dead. This is amazing." She began to quicken her pace while she was consumed with thoughts about this new revelation.

"Oi, where are you going?" the shinigami called after her.

"I'm going to take a walk. This is too much to process at once. Thank you for the message." The man didn't get a chance to reply before she shunpoed off into the darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter ten will be up soon.


	10. Forget Me Nots

**A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews. I really appreciate it! :) **

**See y'all, I'm updating faster this time lol. Onward to chapter ten, yasss :)**

* * *

**Chapter Ten **

"My oh my. This is quite a surprise. It is not often that you see a princess make time to visit a regular guy like me." The tall man smiled as he turned to see the current Hidaka clan leader walk into the room and sit in a small chair across from him. Cho sighed deeply and smiled weakly. The rampant thoughts that raced through her mind showed on her face.

"It's good to see you again. It's been so long, hasn't it?"

"Why yes it has. You should stop by more to visit." She chuckled and blushed slightly. He grinned as well. He reached out in front of him and grabbed the piping hot kettle of tea and poured both his guest and himself a cup.

"Thank you," she said as she took a sip. She set it down and bit her lip, sighing deeply. "They found Setsuna. She's alive." The man set down his cup as well.

"Yes. I've heard." Cho's eyes widened a little and he chuckled to himself. "Word gets around fast in the Soul Society. Don't look so surprised."

"Yes. I suppose that you are right."

"How did your clan react when they found out?"

"They didn't do anything because they don't know. Not even the elders. I wouldn't have found out either if it had not been for your side kick's message."

"Well, you realize that it will not be long before they discover the truth."

"Yes, I know."

"And? What are you going to do about it?" Cho sighed deeply before taking a big sip of the tea. Her nerves were frazzled to their very ends. Never in her life did she think this day would come. She was a strange mix of relived and upset. She contemplated what she should do. Fate seemed to hint that she should step down as clan leader. Reason said that there was no way in hell she could abandon her clan in such a way. She sighed again and closed her eyes for a moment. When she reopened then, she forced a little smile.

"Nothing." The man raised his eyebrows feeling a little surprised.

"Nothing? Are you sure that that is the route you want to go?" Cho nodded as she rose from her seat. She set the tea on the table and rounded it until she stood right in front of her host. She smiled as she sat down on its top.

"I'm not doing anything because as of right now there is nothing for me to do. I'm rightfully the clan leader and I have earned that title. Setsuna is in no condition to lead right now, especially since she cannot remember her past. How can she lead our family if she doesn't even know who we are?" The man nodded his head.

"You do have a point. Your elders would never risk the livelihood of your clan like that. They seem like smart men from what I can tell." He reached up and ran the back of his hand over the woman's mocha toned cheek. Cho smiled as she felt butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach. She reached up and cupped her hand over his. He smiled back. "You have to come see me more often. You are just too charming; even more so than myself." Cho felt the butterflies more as his brown eyes stared deeply into hers.

"I could never be more charming than you," she sweetly said as she blushed. He chuckled as he rose from his seat and hovered over her. He moved his hand from her face and tilted her chin up to him. Neither stopped smiling as he leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

**49 years ago . . . **

"Daaaaamn. He is hot. I'd like to have him as my teacher." Setsuna smiled and shook her head as she looked at the man her best friend was talking about, Kaien Shiba. The two young women were beginning their final year at the Shino Academy and were walking to their last class of the day.

"Yea, I don't think he is interested in having you as a mistress. I heard that he is getting married soon to Miyako-san." Arisu turned to her friend with sad eyes.

"Oh my god, are you serious? Why do all of the hot men have to be taken? Ugh!"

"Well, I don't think you really had a chance with him, Risu-chan. He doesn't seem like he could put up with . . . well . . . you, haha." The average person may have been upset about that comment, but Arisu knew full well that Setsuna had a point. She smiled as she flipped her ginger red hair over her shoulder.

"You're right. I'm too much woman for him anyways." The shorter girl rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Oh gee, there you go again. I'm just going to ignore your ego."

"You'd have an ego too if you were as talented in the sheets as I am." Setsuna's jaw dropped, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Risu-chan! We are in public. Someone may hear youuu." Arisu giggled at her best friend's innocence. It was so adorable to her.

"Okay, okay. But seriously Suna-chan, we have got to get you laid before we graduate. Being a virgin is doing nothing for your image."

"Arisu!"

"Okay, okay I'll stop."

Even though they were alone in the conversation, Setsuna wanted to die and crawl under a rock. She always felt embarrassed whenever anyone would bring up the topic of sex and dating around her. Of course she did have emotions and intimate urges like everyone else; she was just waiting for the right person to come her way. She was not open about her sexuality like her sister and best friend. As a matter of fact, until she was married, she didn't want anyone to know that she had a sexual side to her. What would her mother think? What would her father think if he was still alive? Just the thought of people finding out killed her inside.

The young nobles entered the grand hall at the entrance of Shino Academy and walked over to the throng of students that were lurking around the class postings board. Everyone was chattering and excited to see who their instructor was for the year. As they were in their final year and only had to finish acquiring the required kido training, Setsuna and Arisu had already figured that Sosuke Aizen was going to be their teacher. He taught the high level kido classes. Nevertheless, they waited to make sure. When they finally got to the board, Setsuna felt her heart drop to her feet. Arisu was indeed in Sosuke Aizen's class, but as for her . . .

"Riku Sota?! What! Oh my god, I failed kido! No! No, no, no! This cannot be happening!" Arisu searched the board and found why she was freaking out. Her name was listed under Riku Sota's mid-level, remedial kido class. That meant that she had not passed the kido class she had taken last year. That also meant that she might have to spend another year at the school before she could graduate. Setsuna groaned as she fell to her knees. "I cannot believe I have to take remedial kido. Oh my god, Maikeru and mom are going to kill me! The elders are going to be so disappointed. How can I not be good at kido? I'm a damn Hidaka!"

"You are good, Suna-chan," Arisu said. "You may not be as good as Sayo-chan or Cho-chan, but you are better than most."

"Really? Then why the fuck did I fail?!" Setsuna could feel the eyes of students gravitate to her as she drowned in her soap opera like performance. She felt like dying again. _Great, now everyone knows that I failed. Get it together Setsuna! _ She sighed deeply and fought back the tears that threatened to fall. She stood up and dusted off her uniform. She turned to her friend and gave her a confident look in order to maintain her noble dignity, but Arisu didn't buy it for a second. She almost laughed in her face, it was so funny.

"Are you okay?" Arisu asked, fighting back a smile. Setsuna nodded.

"Yes, I am. I am going to take this class over and I am going to do so well that they will have to move me to Aizen-san's class and let me graduate on time." She confidently turned on her heels. "I will see you later on."

"Okay," Arisu said with a slipped chuckle. The acting job was poor and it was hilarious. She loved her friend's drama queen antics for it always kept her on her toes. She turned the other direction and walked to her own class.

Setsuna felt even more embarrassed when she found out that her class only had five people. Had it been a larger class, no one may have noticed her but now everyone was going to notice that she was an idiot. She sat in a desk hoping that more students would come and that she was early. Only two more arrived before the time that the class was scheduled to begin. Setsuna groaned as she folded her arms and laid her head down on the desk.

"I see someone is not excited to be here either." Setsuna lifted her head and turned to the person who had come to sit beside her. He was tall, had black tattoos on his face, brown eyes and long, bright red hair. _Whoa._ She slowly sat upright and gave him a smile.

"You could tell?"

"It's not hard to. No one in their right mind would want to take remedial kido. It's so boring to re-learn things that you already know. Had I not failed the final last year, I wouldn't even be in this class." He rolled his eyes and threw his head back. Setsuna closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of his shampoo as he moved._ Damn._ She stuck out her hand.

"I, uh I – I'm Setsuna Hidaka." He lifted a brow as he shook it.

"Renji Abarai. Hidaka? I've heard that name before. Someone teaches here with that name." Feeling inferior again, she quietly sighed.

"Yeah, that's my older cousin, Cho. She teaches music and has my sister, Sayori help her sometimes." He raised his brows and widened his eyes.

"Sayori Hidaka is your sister? Isn't she the girl who is having an affair with Byakuya Kuchiki?" Setsuna furrowed her brows and became defensive. It had not been the first time someone asked her about that rumor, but each time it never failed to make her mad.

"No, they are just friends. Onee-chan would never cheat on her fiancé. That's just a stupid rumor. Don't believe it."

"So wait, you know Byakuya and Rukia Kuchiki?"

"Yea, I know Byakuya, but not her. Why do you want to know?" Renji bit his lip. He could tell she was becoming agitated.

"No reason, sorry. It was just a question." _I've never met anyone here that directly knows him. Maybe this is fate telling me I should reach out to Rukia._

"Sorry for being rude, I just hate it when people spread lies about my family." Renji smirked.

"That's alright. You get a little snappy when you're mad. I like that craziness." Setsuna blushed. The way he looked at her made her feel a little warm and shy. She smiled as she tucked some hair behind her ear.

"I guess so." _I like this guy. He seems . . . cool._ "Hey, would you like to study together sometime?"

"You want to study with me? I didn't think that nobles like to associate with ordinary people."

"But why would you think that about me? My best friend's family originated in Jakura. They only became nobles a few years ago and I don't judge her, so why would I judge you?" Renji was still reluctant to say yes. Just because she was sweet, it didn't mean that her family was. Nevertheless, he hated to say no to a pretty girl and he had already become fond of her. Not to mention that she did have some connection to Rukia. Maybe this was his opportunity to get close to the Kuchikis.

"Okay, you're on." Their conversation was ended as the teacher rushed through the doors, feeling frazzled because he was late. The new friends spent the rest of their time in silence before meeting later at her home.

* * *

It had been a good while since Setsuna had woken up that morning. However, the sunny day that shined brightly through her window was the complete opposite of how she currently felt. She sat erect in bed, motionless and staring into the empty space in front of her. She had no idea where she was and why she was there. She had no idea why she had to be probed and prodded last night by that creepy, skeleton-looking man. She did not know why she couldn't just remain peaceful in her little apartment in Karakura Town.

A knock on her door didn't do one thing to make her stir from that spot. She remained motionless as two more knocks came her way.

"Setsu, we're coming in," Renji said as he stood behind Arisu as she opened the door. He quenched his eyes tightly just in case the girl had been naked or dressing. Luckily, for him, she wasn't. In fact, it was like she was not even there. She didn't even acknowledge them for a single second as he pulled up a chair beside her and Arisu sat on the bed in front of her. She looked drained and tired. She was a stark contrast from the bright, happy and shy girl that he used to know. _What did Kurotsuchi-taicho do to her for her to be like this? Or maybe he didn't have to do anything at all . . ._ He bit his lip before he spoke.

"How are you feeling, Setsuna?"

"Fine." Her response was fast and dry, clearly showing that she did not want to be bothered by them. Renji nodded his head, figuring that this would be one of the hardest conversations that he would ever be involved in.

"Okay . . . well . . . have you eaten yet?"

"No."

"Would you like for us to get you something to eat?" Arisu asked, lightly touching her leg. She moved it away as soon as she felt the cerulean-eyed girl's uncomfortable twitch.

"No."

"Well, we are going to get you something anyways. You don't have to eat it if you don't want to," Renji said. Arisu nodded her head in agreement. All three fell silent for a few moments, nobody knowing what to say. Renji shifted in his seat, the uncomfortable environment really getting to him. It had never been this way when all three of them were together. It was very . . . odd.

"Where is Ichigo?" Setsuna asked after a while. Both Arisu and Renji attempted to answer, wanting to end the silence for as long as possible.

"He left," she quickly said. For the first time, Setsuna showed emotion on her face. A look of sadness took control of her features."

"What . . . did you say?" Renji glared daggers at Arisu. _Idiot._

"What she means is that he had to return to the world of the living to situate a few things first before he comes here to stay with you. He should be back by tomorrow." Setsuna nodded as she stared at her hands.

"I don't want to cause him any trouble." Arisu smiled warmly as she put her hand on her best friend's leg again. This time, Setsuna had a warmer response to the touch.

"You're not, Suna-chan. Ichigo cares about you so he's willing to be there for you. No questions asked."

"He's only known me for a little while."

"For Ichigo, that's all he needs," Renji said with a smile. "It's a part of his nature. You're the same way you know. I guess that's why you two gravitated to each other." Setsuna shook her head.

"You don't know me; neither of you. No one here does. I barely know myself." She turned to look at Renji. "I don't know my family or any of my history. I only have hints." She lifted her arm and showed him the diamond incrusted charm bracelet around her wrist. "I remember one of my foster mothers telling me that it was a gift from my grandmother, but I have no memory of ever getting it."

"I remember that!" Arisu smiled widely as she grabbed Setsuna's arm and looked at the charms closer. "You used to wear this every day. I mean every single day. I barely remember seeing you without it. Kameko-sama gave this to you one holiday when I spent vacation with your family."

"Kameko-sama?"

"That's your grandmother," Renji explained. "She's passed on, but she was very beautiful from the pictures I saw."

"Mhm," Arisu agreed smiling. "Kameko-sama was very kind and sweet. She was also very extravagant and she loved giving you guys the best gifts. She also liked giving gifts with meaning behind them." Arisu stretched the young woman's arm out and grabbed the "S" charm with the fingers on her other hand. "This, of course, is the initial of your first name. This bunny charm is Chappy." Setsuna looked confused.

"What is a Chappy?" Renji rolled his eyes.

"It's this dumb cartoon rabbit that all you girls seem to love. Rukia is obsessed with that damn thing. I just don't get it."

"You used to love Chappy a lot too, although no one has Rukia beat in that, haha." Arisu lifted up the last charm. "And this is your family's crest. You come from the Hidaka clan, which is very respected around here." Setsuna removed her arm from the fair woman's grasp and stared at the charms. She had this feeling that she had heard all of this before, but for the life of her, she could not remember.

"It's so sad that you all seem to know more about me than I do." She looked up and gave both Renji and Arisu a sad smile. "You guys seem like you are very kind. I feel a connection with both of you. I really wish I could remember who you are. I wish I could remember who I am." Renji returned the sad smile and warmly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That's what we are here for, Setsu. I don't know why Sayori felt like she had to do this, but in any case, we're going to fix what she did."

"He's right. We all go a long way back so you can count on us to be here for you. No matter how annoying this process may be." Setsuna giggled a little and nodded her head. Arisu smiled big. "Now that's what I like to hear; laughter." She slapped her thighs as she sprang off of bed. "I'm going to go down to the kitchen to see if Rikichi has anything left from breakfast. I'll be right back." The others nodded their heads before Arisu scurried out the room.

"Try not to make out with anyone on your way down there`!" he teased her.

"Shut up, Renji!" he heard her fading voice yell back. Renji smiled and shook his head.

"Your return has really brought life into that girl again. She had become quite the buzz kill and charity case when you were gone." Setsuna cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"Well . . . she kind of drowned herself in her passions. Arisu has always been a free spirit, but her spirit was becoming so free that I began to worry about her safety. You and Arisu were extremely close, so when you went missing, she took it very hard. She drank, slept around, did all kinds of drugs and defied the captain on the regular. To this day, I don't know how she stayed in the division, much less the third seat. I guess the captain could sympathize with her, having lost his wife and all." Renji looked at the ceiling and smiled. "But now she's all happy and full of life. It's a good thing to see. Her normal self is calm and reserved so when she's this happy about someone, it's because she truly loves that person." Setsuna studied Renji for a moment. She analyzed him from his head to his feet. _I know this guy from some place, I swear I do. Everything about the way he looks says he's trouble, but somehow, I feel like I could trust him with my life. What is going on, seriously?_

"Renji," she said, her voice sad. "What if I never get my memory back? What if I can never remember anything about my past with you or Arisu or my family and friends? What if I stay like this forever?"

"Well . . . then I guess we will just have to re-film the movie then." Setsuna felt a warmness from his smile that she had never from anyone ever before. She even felt more at ease with him than she did with Ichigo. Those familiar feelings nagged at her so much that she almost stopped him when he got up to leave.

"Renji?"

"I hate to leave you but I must start the day or Kuchiki-taicho will kill me. Actually, you should get ready too. You are going to have to meet with him and Sayori later today so your training can begin." He noticed the apprehensive look on her face and tried to reassure her of his captain's skill and knowledge. "You're in good hands with him, Setsu. Kuchiki-taicho knows his stuff. Your shinigami nature did not leave you. It's still there somewhere so don't worry about it." Before she could protest or ask him more questions, Renji exited the room. Setsuna's gut wrenched at the thought of spending the day with her psycho sister and that mean man. She did not know what was going on but the fact that she felt so much familiarity with Renji, Arisu and the Soul Society itself made her curious to see if she felt connected to those two. She obeyed Renji's suggestion and began to dress for the day.

* * *

**A/N: I wonder who Cho was talking to . . .**


	11. The Rubberband Man

**A/N: We are halfway done ladies and gentleman! Thank you everyone who has been and are still keeping up with the story. Y'all rock :D**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**60 years ago . . . **

"Why did you invite me to this den of heathens?" Byakuya unenthusiastically asked as he walked up the pathway to the huge, elaborate and very noisy estate that sat on the hill just before the mountains. Cho nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, Sayo. I don't know if this is quite my scene . . ."

"Which is exactly why I invited you two," Sayori replied with a huge smile. "You two have been such bores lately that being around you sucks the damn life out of me."

"Not everyone can be as careless as you. Some of us have other things to worry about that have more value than partying all the time." Sayori rolled her eyes at her best friend.

"I value things other than partying. I'm more mature than you think, Byakuya. It's just that a Zi Shihoin party is a party that you just can't miss!" It was common public opinion that Zi Shihoin was one of the best party hosts around. His parties were legendary for the unexpected and wild things that would occur during them. Brawls, orgies, fires and broken bones were not strange things to see at one of his parties. Many people wondered why the Shihoin clan's leader did not disown Zi for his reckless behavior. Byakuya had often told Sayori that if he had been a Kuchiki and not from that "deviant family", he would have gotten exiled long ago. He never understood Sayori's affinity for him. Her father would never give his blessing for their marriage and Maikeru would certainly give him a very hard time once he took over the clan. Maybe it was his attraction to risk or his hedonistic spirit that intrigued her. Whatever it was, he wanted no part of it.

"I've missed several of his parties and I'm not saddened in the least," he assertively said.

"Sayo, aren't his parties dangerous? Why do you like them so much?" Cho asked feeling a little concerned about what she was about to face. Sayori groaned and threw her head back.

"Can you guys just give it a chance, please? See for yourself before you decide to judge. It may be better than you expect. You two obviously had some curiosity if you came." Both Cho and Byakuya began regret coming when the trio walked through the large purple door into the estate's main foyer. Scantily clad women were dancing seductively to the music, the smell of cigar and narcotic smoke was in the air, men were drunk off sake and carrying on in uncouth fashion. But the host of the party still managed to draw the most attention in the midst of the chaos. Sprawled across a chair, surrounded by beautiful women and a bottle of sake, there was Zi Shihoin. His golden eyes glittering and long purple hair framing his face, his smile bright and charming. A slender but athletically built man, Zi was a true charmer. So much so that Sayori felt a little nervous when his eyes met hers minutes after entering the party. He gave her his trademark cocky, half-smile and wink. He stared at her as he whispered something into one of his female companion's ears. The woman nodded and walked over to where she and the others were standing. She gave Sayori a seductive look before relaying the message.

"Lord Zi would like to speak with you. You can bring your friends along if you'd like." Sayori turned from the girl and looked over at Zi again. She felt intimidated by the hungry look in his eyes. During the times they used to study together at the Shino Academy, the sexual attraction between them was intense but she never acted upon it. She was still very shy when it came to her sexuality. But it was something about Zi that brought the fire out in her. A pure, savage type of lust that was hard to hide at times.

Sayori obliged her host. She, Byakuya and Cho made their way through the gathering of people over to the Casanova. The messenger girl attempted to wrap herself on Byakuya's arm, but one cold glance made her second guess that decision.

"I'm happy to see you here, Sayori," Zi said, his voice velvety and strong. Sayori grinned and blushed.

"Well, I'm happy to be here." He nodded his head and looked over her shoulder at Byakuya and Cho. His smile turned more devilish as his hedonistic mind began to churn. _I can easily get off with these three tonight._

"And who are your friends?"

"This is my cousin Cho and my best friend, Byakuya."

"Mhm, yes I have heard of them before. My, my, Sayo Baby, you have got excellent genes and excellent taste." Had he been in his former days, Byakuya may have punched the bisexual man in the face for even thinking about hitting on him. If Zi was going to behave this way all night, then Byakuya felt that he should take his leave early.

"I'm going," he firmly said as he turned around and began to leave. Zi let out a hearty laugh.

"I'm sorry if I offended you Kuchiki-sama. I didn't know that my attraction to men made you uncomfortable."

"It is not that which offends me. It is your whorish behavior that I find appalling. You lack class." Zi laughed again before taking a hit of the opium he was smoking.

"Bahhh! What's the use of class if it interferes with the finer things in life. You only have one life so you should enjoy it!" Byakuya turned around and looked Zi squarely in his eyes. Sayori felt apprehensive that a fight was about to go down.

"Your enjoyment cannot coexist with mine."

"I think it can, Kuchiki-sama. Just give it a try. Play one round of Knockout with me. I'll show you that even a low-life like me can teach you something. You too." He motioned his head over towards Cho, who had been hoping that she had faded away into the background.

"Why me?" she asked, pointing to herself. Zi chuckled.

"Because both of you are prudes. I can smell it on you as if you both were covered in garlic." He rose from his 'throne'. He stood in front of Cho and smiled more as he noticed her nervousness. "I want to show you both that I know how to have a good time. That is, if you two aren't too scared to journey down my road."

"Taunting and baiting me with so-called shame is not going to work," Byakuya said, becoming annoyed. "I will agree to play one round if only to prove how much of a fool you are. Sayori's jaw slacked a little when Byakuya accepted Zi's challenge. Never in a million years did she think Byakuya would play Knockout. She couldn't even get him to play it alone with her. Cho looked just as surprised. There was no way that she wanted to play this game with them. However, she did not want to look like a coward either.

"Okay . . . I'm going to play as well." Zi smirked triumphantly.

"Excellent. Ladies, set us up." Zi's groupies sprang into action. One shuffled a deck of Western playing cards while the other poured shots of super potent sake. The three went over to a low, round table and sat. A few of the spectators gathered around to watch. It would become legendary if either noble embarrassed his or herself that night. "Do you guys know the rules?" Cho nodded.

"Yes, your heathen friend taught me long ago." Sayori rolled her eyes as she sat down beside Zi. Although she was not in the game, she wanted the closest view. She had waited forever to see Byakuya play Knockout ever since she tried to teach him years past. If he drew a black card, he would have to answer any question Zi asked. If he refused to answer them, he would have to take a shot of sake for each question not answered. If he drew a red card, he would have to drink the number of shots indicated on the card. If it was a certain face card, he had to drink a shot of sake. If Byakuya drew an Ace, he would have to do anything Zi told him to do. A round ended after each player had drawn ten cards. Zi smirked, loving every moment.

"Good. Then you will have no excuse when you lose. You drink on Jacks, Cho on Queens, and of course I will drink on Kings." Once each player had five shots, they began. Byakuya drew first. It was a black two. "Aww only a two? Two questions it is then. I'll start easy. Kuchiki-sama, are you a virgin?"

"No."

"Have you ever slept with Sayori?"

"Zi! What the fuck?!"

"No." Sayori stared at Zi, annoyed that he had asked that question. She knew that he would be ruthless, but she didn't think he would start this early. It was Cho's turn and she pulled a queen. After taking her shot, Zi drew a red four. The next couple of turns were all red until Zi pulled a black three. It was Byakuya's turn to ask questions.

"Why are you such an embarrassment to your clan?"

"I'm not. I am who I am and if you don't like it that is your problem, Kuchiki-sama."

"Are you a drug addict?"

"I like them, but addict? No."

"Do you give Sayori drugs?"

"No."

The game went on for a while, all three becoming more and more inebriated by the minute. The drunker they became, the more intense the questions became. By the time it was Cho's ninth turn, she could barely grab the card. It was a black seven and it was Zi's turn to ask the questions.

"Are you shaved or natural?"

"What?! …..shaved…"

"Do you think I'm hot?"

"Yes."

"If I asked you to fuck me tonight, would you?"

"Yes." Sayori's eyes widened and jaw dropped. Her conservative cousin was really open when she was drunk.

"Would you fuck me and Byakuya?"

"Yes."

"Would you fuck Byakuya if it was only him?" She took a shot of sake. "Do you like Byakuya?" She took another shot of sake. "Are you jealous of Sayori's relationship with him?"

"Uhhh nooo?" Even though she was a mess, Cho knew she was lying. She did have an attraction to Byakuya and was becoming jealous of Sayori's relationship with him, but she would never admit it. Sayori noticed the weirdness of Cho's denial and the questions she didn't answer. _Interesting . . ._

Zi also noticed her actions and when it was Byakuya's turn again, he drew the first Ace of the round. An evil smile spread across his face. He was the least effected by the alcohol as the other two did not drink often. Cho was a mess and Byakuya was doing his best to stay in control but still wobbled. The round was one turn away from being over and there was no guarantee that the Kuchiki lord would draw another ace. Now was the time.

"Uh oh you drew an Ace, Kuchiki-sama. You know what that means, right?"

"I am aware of the rules."

"That's good, because I want you to give Cho the sexiest kiss on the lips; with tongue." Byakuya narrowed his eyes dangerously. Cho's lit up. Zi laughed, feeling like the superior noble. "Mind you that if you don't do what I say, you lose to me proving that I was right about you all along." Everyone knew that Byakuya's greatest weakness was his pride and his ego. You aimed for those and you could get him to react every time. This time was no different. He shifted to his knees. He grabbed Cho's arms and pulled her in close for a deep and sensuous kiss. The spectators erupted into catcalls and chatter. Zi clapped his hands together triumphantly as he watched the two nobles intensely make out. Byakuya actually seemed to be enjoying it and Cho definitely was. She had somehow found her way into his lap and was grinding on him as she kissed. The only person in the room that was not enjoying the display was Sayori. In fact, she was mad at Zi for letting things go this far. He took advantage of them in their inebriated state. Those two would never, ever carry on in such a way in public. _I can't believe they are doing this. Really, guys? Really, Byakuya? How are you gonna just make out with my cousin in front of me? You know how I felt when . . . . . . forget it. I'm not jealous. I'm not, fuck it._

"Okay, okay this game is over," Sayori demanded as she stood up from the table. Zi tried to grab her arm, but she jerked it away.

"We haven't even finished the first round yet."

"I don't care. We are finished. We're going home." Zi chuckled.

"From the looks of it, they are in no hurry. They just might rent a room for the night." Sayori ignored him and tapped the temporary lovers on the backs.

"Let's go," was all she said as she started to walk through the cluster of people toward the door. As soon as they stopped kissing, Byakuya and Cho immediately began to feel awkward. Cho hurried and got off his lap and hung her head as she quickly followed her younger cousin. Byakuya stood as well and turned to Zi. Zi smiled mischievously.

"Looks like I won, Kuchiki-sama." Byakuya stared at him non-chalant.

"By the looks of it, I think you lost." Zi's smile faded quickly as the noble man turned and walked away. He hated to admit it, but he was right. Sayori was pissed at him right now and he had definitely fallen out of her good graces for the time being. He really liked her and wanted to be with her. She was the only woman that he had met in a while that wasn't willing to put up with his bullshit but as it looked as if now he would never be able to call her his.

* * *

Last night had been the absolute worse sleep Sayori had gotten in a long time. She was very restless and tossed and turned all throughout the night, never once getting completely comfortable. It wasn't the bed for sure, for she was currently in the lap of luxury. No, it was the fact that the luxury belonged to Byakuya Kuchiki that bothered her. There was a time when having a sleep over with him was the most normal thing in the world for her. Now it felt like a prison. Maybe it was because it really was a prison for her. She sighed deeply and ran her hands over her face as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight that beamed down above her head. She looked at herself in the large mirror in front of her bed. She looked drained and worn out. Scabs were beginning to form over the battle wounds that Squad Four did not bandage. Her hair was still an absolute mess and her rich brown skin lacked the brightness that it normally had. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. _This cannot be happening. I had become used to being an outcast and living in Jakura. Why did I have to come back here of all places. It's not the same. I hate this._

"Shihoin-san?" A servant girl drug Sayori out of her thoughts. The young woman looked shy and timid, possibly unsure of her state of mind at the moment. "I – I uh, just wanted to let you know that Kuchiki-sama requests your presence for breakfast." Sayori chuckled.

"Kid, I think you have the wrong person. There is no way he wants to see me right now and I certainly don't want to see him. Tell him that I'm not hungry." She was definitely lying. Her stomach had been growling since the night before. But to eat in that man's presence would make her appetite die.

The young girl nodded her head and closed the door. Sayori listened to the fading sounds of her footsteps before flopping back down on the bed. She attempted to drift back into sleep when another visitor interrupted her peace.

"How dare you defy my orders in my house?" Sayori sat up and stared coldly at him.

"What, does the Kuchiki lord not have any common decency left to know that it's rude for a man to barge in on a woman uninvited?"

"I do not have to be invited inside of my own house. Why did you disobey my command?"

"I don't serve you anymore so I do not have to obey your orders. I was banished, remember? Anyways I didn't think you cared so much that you would want to have breakfast with me."

"I do not. However, the Head Captain has ordered that you begin to train Setsuna today while I supervise. If you are going to do this successfully, you need to eat so you will not fatigue. I refuse to be blamed for your ineptitude." He did have a point, she hated to admit. Other than her recent fight with Byakuya, it had been several years since she had seen combat. She was already somewhat rusty and the last thing she needed was to collapse from fatigue. That would only give Byakuya more fuel. Not to mention that she did not want to fail her sister since she was the reason that Setsuna could not remember anything.

"Alright," she reluctantly agreed. "I'll be down as soon as I get dressed." Satisfied that he had gotten his way, Byakuya turned and left the room without a word. Sayori threw her head back and groaned loudly after his footsteps had faded.

The warm aroma of the food almost made Sayori foam at the mouth as she walked the long hall leading to the dining area of the Kuchiki estate. She could smell the fragrance of the freshly brewed green tea and the sweet scent of tea cakes. It had been so long since she had a delicious meal at the Kuchiki residence. That was one thing she missed that she did not mind showing. She used to love going to parties here. Sojun and his wife always treated her like she was the daughter that they had never had. Ginrei also treated her will a great amount of love and care. Sometimes, it even made Byakuya a little jealous. She smiled to herself as the good memories that they shared came to her mind. All the laughs, fights, tears, and love that went on in this house. All were very special to her.

That is all they were at this point: memories. The cold atmosphere between the two returned as Sayori walked through the doors of the dining area and walked over to the table. However, Byakuya had not informed her that there would be another guest eating with them. She widened her eyes.

"Cho?" Cho smiled widely as she rose from her seat beside Byakuya and extended her arms, inviting Sayori in for an embrace.

"Sayo. It's been so long. I've really missed you." Sayori stuck out her hand and shook her head, declining Cho's welcome. Cho nodded, feeling slightly rejected but not very surprised. After all, she had been the one to uphold the ruling of Sayori's banishment that the elders had laid down before her. Sayori smirked as she sat down beside Cho and across from Byakuya.

"So you invited your girlfriend to eat with us?" Byakuya narrowed his stoic, slate gray eyes.

"Preposterous. Cho dropped by after I left you earlier."

"Yea, Sayo. You know Byakuya and I haven't dated since that one time and even then it was only for a week or two." Byakuya and Cho had tried their hand at a relationship a little while after the incident at Zi's party. However, Cho's attraction to him was only physical. She was in love with someone else and Byakuya had recently (and secretly) met Hisana and had fallen for her.

"No I don't know that either. I haven't been able to talk to either of you for almost thirty years, remember?"

"You expect us to have sympathy for you."

"Ugh, spare me the lecture please, Byakuya." Sayori rolled her eyes as she began to eat some of the food that was set before her. She turned to her cousin. "So what are you doing here? Are you even allowed to dine with a criminal like me?"

"Sayo, please. You know that I had no choice in the matter. Once the elders make a decision, you know that it is hard to change their closed-minds. Had I the choice, I would not have upheld the exile." Sayori had to admit that she had a point. She knew from experience how hard it was to persuade the elders to bend or ignore the rules of the clan that the clan leader had no control over. The rule regarding the removal of a member from the family was one of them. She took a sip of tea.

"How is the family doing?"

"Everyone is quite well. Bai-Lin is getting married soon to Hibune Kuchiki." Sayori laughed and rolled her eyes.

"She's marrying a Kuchiki? Poor girl."

"Watch your tongue. Do not disrespect my clan." Sayori rolled her eyes again as Byakuya's eyes intensely focused on her. Cho danced her eyes between both of them. She cleared her throat.

"Yes . . . well, the wedding is in a few months and she's very excited. They really love each other."

"Well, send her and my cousins the best. Tell them I love them. Tell Sayuchi-obachan and Fai-ojisan the same."

"I will."

"How are Miu-onee-chan and Tomoe?" Cho set down her tea and stared at the cup.

"I'm not sure. No one has heard from them since the incident with you and Setsuna." A feeling of anger shot through Sayori's being.

"What do you mean you are not sure? You mean to tell me that my sister-in-law and niece are gone and no one knows where they are? Are you kidding me? So who kicked them out? Was it you or the old fools?"

"Neither. They left of their own accord. Miu said that she was afraid that whoever came after you, Maikeru and Setsuna would try and target Tomoe next. She feared for their safety so she asked if she could leave and I granted her permission. She didn't want anyone to find her, so I left them alone." Sayori sighed deeply, knowing that Cho was telling the truth. The night she took Setsuna to the world of the living, Miu mentioned to her that she was afraid of what would happen to Tomoe and that she wished that she was not a noble anymore. She silently continued to eat her food as Cho asked a servant girl for the time. She did not pay attention as her cousin chatted with Byakuya for a moment. She wasn't paying attention to anything until Cho called her name, jerking back into reality.

"Yea, uh, what?"

"I said that I will see you and Setsuna soon. I have to leave now for clan duties. But I love you okay?"

"Sure. And same, love you too." Cho grinned softly and patted the girls hand before a servant girl escorted her out.

"You should hurry and finish eating. Setsuna will be over soon. I told Renji to send her."

"Alright." They sat in silence, neither eager to speak. But the hostility between them had leveled off. It seemed that the news about Miu and Tomoe had bothered her.

"They are fine." Sayori looked up at him.

"What?"

"I said they are fine. Miu and Tomoe. They are fine."

"How do you know this?"

"I never say anything that I am unsure of. It would be foolish of me to do so. I say they are fine, because I know this for a fact. They are living in a small cottage in a village just outside of district three." Her eyes widened.

"How do you know this?"

"Because I am the one who put them there." Sayori almost choked.

"What?! You really expect me to believe that? Yeah right."

"You don't have to believe it for it to be true. I ran into Miu one day and she told me that she was afraid for her daughter. So I bought her a cottage and offered her some money to get her started." Sayori was surprised. Never in a million years did she think Byakuya would do something like that. Not for her family, at least.

"Why did you do that?"

"I did it out of respect for your parents and Maikeru-sama. Also, I know how the elders would have treated her and Tomoe since you were not around anymore. They would have given her hell since she was of commoner blood. I know this because if I had died instead of Hisana, my elders would have treated her the same way. Cho is not as dominant as you, so the elders would have easily gotten their way. To this day, I have never told her where they are." She was amazed by this information. He had become so cold to her that she thought he would be the same to everyone and everything she held dear. She was happy to see that she was wrong. She actually felt like hugging the man right then.

"T – thank you Byakuya. I know that you didn't do it on my behalf but . . . thank you so much." He didn't say a word but slightly nodded his head.

"Excuse me, Kuchiki-sama, but Hidaka-san has arrived." A handsome and muscular servant interrupted the reconciliatory atmosphere that had suddenly come about.

"Thank you," Byakuya said as he waved the young man away. He turned to Sayori and offered her a hand. She declined it as she sprang to her feet. "I hope you can teach her how to fight better than you fought me the other day. Looks like you could use the training too." Sayori said nothing, but rolled her eyes as she followed the tall man outside.

Neither sister knew where to begin as they sat in silence on the large patio that overlooked Byakuya's large koi pond. They both sat quietly, sipping tea. Tons and tons of thoughts raced through their heads, but neither one knew quite what to say. Eventually, Setsuna found her words.

"I just want to ask . . . why did you do it?" Sayori sighed deeply and stared into the space in front of her. She set down her tea cup and turned to her sister and smiled.

"I did it because I love you."

"You ruined my life. How can you say that you love me?"

"What I did may have not been the best thing or the smartest thing that I could have done, but I felt that if I did not hide you away in the real world, you would have died. I had already lost our grandparents, our parents, our uncle, and our brother. I couldn't lose you too." Setsuna widened her eyes.

"What happened to our family? Who is my family?" Sayori felt a little sad seeing the effects of her kido. She had intended for Setsuna to lead a normal, human life in the world of the living. Instead she had a sister that was not complete. _Maybe this wasn't the best decision after all. I really messed things up._

"Well," she began, "our grandparents and mother died natural deaths. Kameko-obāsan and Kenji-ojīsan both lived to a ripe old age before passing on. Our mother, Yume died from and illness a few years after you joined the Gotei 13. Our father, Yoshimitsu , and our uncle, Aoki died in battle and Maikeru-onii-chan was murdered." The girl's eyes widened even more. Her past was becoming sketchier and sketchier by the moment.

"Murdered?! Why? Wha – Who?"

"Nobody knows. I have my suspicions, but I cannot say for sure. There has never been anything that linked anyone to his death."

"Are you the only family that I have left?"

"Well you do have a niece and a sister-in-law that are still alive and as far as I know, you have cousins, aunts and uncles that are still living."

"What was our family like? What were you and I like?" Sayori smiled to herself as she thought about her family. So many fond memories flooded her brain. She had numerous stories she could tell the girl.

"We were all very close that's for sure. Our father was a kind but strict man. He was very strong and very friendly. He'd do whatever he could to protect you and to keep a smile on your face. Our mother was gentle and docile. She was a mother in its truest form because she was very nurturing. Nii-chan was overprotective, more so than dad. I guess it was because he also had a daughter of his own. He was very driven and somewhat naïve when it came to his sisters, haha. As for us, our relationship was tight; even more so than with Maikeru because we could talk about things that we could never share with him. We had the kind of relationship that if one of us fell, the other would catch her before she even hit the ground." Setsuna smiled softly as she listened to her roots. Sayori did make it appear that she came from a lot of love. However, she also felt that she still wasn't getting the complete story of everything.

"I have so many questions. I wish I could remember so I will finally have some sense of belonging. This is crazy."

"Stressing over your amnesia is not going to help at all, so please do not continue to worry about it. I'm here to answer any question that you have. You will get your memory back." Sayori leaned over and wrapped her arm around the slim girl's shoulders. Setsuna couldn't help but smile as she accepted the woman's embrace. It felt warm, genuine and very familiar, just like her interactions with everyone else in the Soul Society. _Maybe this is where I belong. Maybe I will discover who I am._

"You two are wasting valuable time with this reunion. Catch up on your own time; you both have a job to do." The women turned to see that the Squad Six captain had come out to join them. Sayori groaned loudly as she sprang to her feet. She put her hands on her hips and glared.

"Why do you always do that shit?! I have not seen this girl in years. Did you really expect me not to spend some time with her?"

"You can spend time as you train. I am supposed to supervise you remember? Not to mention that I am sure that I will have to correct your mistakes. I don't have all day, so start." She pulled her hair and threw her head back.

"You are so aggravating. Like really, ugh!" Byakuya held back a smirk as he saw how irritated he had made the woman. He honestly hated to admit that he missed seeing her but he did. _Yes, I still know how to push those buttons, Sayori._ He took a big sip of tea and made himself comfortable on the patio as he began to watch his past duke it out in the present.

* * *

**A/N: I'm totally gonna play Knockout for real one day. It's worse than Circle of Death lol. Chapter Twelve will be out soon.**


	12. Fighter

_**A/N: Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I appreciate it so much. Y'all give me so much motivation to hurry and finish lol.**_

_**Alright so after this chapter will come a few chapters are going to begin to drop a few more clues that will lead up to the big revelation of what actually happened the night Sayori killed the Squad 10 captain and hid Setsuna in the real world. Especially chapter Thirteen, which should be up this weekend after I take my last three finals. I'm already writing it. Stay tuned :)**_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**48 years ago…**

UNGH! Setsuna grimaced as her body hit the hard ground and slid backward a few feet. She winced in pain as she stared at the sky above. She really wanted to just lie there. To spend the rest of the day, no the entire week, just lying on the ground watching the clouds above sounded appealing to her at that moment. Anything would have been better than what she was enduring in the present. She slowly closed her eyes.

"Get up." Setsuna sighed as the sultry voice of the blue haired lieutenant called out to her.

"Nee – N-Nee-chan, please."

"Absolutely not. Get up, Setsu. We are not finished yet."

"I need a break, nee-chan. Please, I beg you."

"I promise that we will take a break, Hime, but only after you learn to effectively use this kido. There is no reason why a recent graduate of Shino Academy should still be this deficient in bakudo spells. Your hado is good enough to get you accepted into a squad but your bakudo still needs work. Do you want to be a shinigami, Hime?"

"Y-yes,," Setsuna weakly replied, her voice small and puny.

"Then get up." Yoshimitsu's youngest child knew that her sister was right. No squad was going to look her way until her bakudo skills improved. She and Renji had been training non-stop with Sayori, Maikeru and Cho the whole summer after her graduation, which had occurred four months prior. Neither she nor Renji had made any miraculous improvements, but fortunately for him, he was only a sophomore. She did not have the time that he had. She had to perfect her bakudo before the winter recruitment.

She slowly rose to her feet, using her zanpakto for leverage. Sayori felt sorry for the pain that she was inflicting upon her sister, but she knew that this was the only way she was going to learn. She waited patiently until the girl had steadied herself into a defensive battle stance. She lifted her left hand.

"Ready?" Setsuna reluctantly nodded her head. "Hado four: Byakurai!" A bright flash of white lightening shot from her index finger and rapidly targeted Setsuna. Instinctively, she used her shikai's ability to block the attack. "Hado 33: Sokatsui!" Pale, blue, fire-like energy released from the woman's left palm. The second hado spell was used so quickly that Setsuna barely avoided it before she jumped out of the way. Sayori furrowed her eyebrows. "Hime, counter the attack with kido. Come on now. You have got to get this down."

"I'm trying nee-chan."

"Well, try harder. Hado 31: Shakkaho!" This time, red flame like spirit energy aimed for the raven haired girl. Sayori used her hado spells in such rapid succession that each time Setsuna only had minimum time to react. Sometimes, all she could do was jump out of the way to avoid it. However this time, she was ready.

"Bakudo 39: Enkosen!" Pale yellow spiritual energy formed around Setsuna's extended hand and spiraled like a windmill, creating a barrier that blocked the attack.

"Hado 11: Tsuzuri Raiden!"

"Bakudo Eight: Seki!" A small orb of pale light formed in front of her chest and repelled the electric current back to Sayori who blocked it with her zanpakto. A grin formed across Sayori's face.

"Alright I see you. Hado 32: Okasen!"

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!" Six bands of yellow spiritual energy aimed at Sayori, ready to hold her captive. However, her Okasen spell disintegrated the six bands and continued to Setsuna, who barely jumped out of the way before it made contact. Sayori smiled widely as she walked over to her.

"Not bad, Hime. Not bad at all. You're getting better." She offered her hand and Setsuna obliged, standing to her feet.

"Thank you, nee-chan. I guess I need more work with spells over 40."

"Yes, if your Rikujokoro was a little stronger, you may have gotten to me. But either way, I am so proud of how far you have come. You can do a lot of spells without the incantation. That's a huge improvement." She put her zanpakto in the sheath around her waist. "Alright, Hime, I need to get going. Byakuya is going send a search party out soon to hunt me down if I don't hurry and get back to that office and finish my paperwork."

"Okay. I need to go meet up with Renji-kun anyways. Tell Byakuya-sama that I said hello."

"Will do." She extended her arms and engulfed the smaller framed girl in a large hug. "I love you, baby sister. Be good okay and tell Renji I said hi."

"Okay and I love you too, nee-chan." Sayori quickly shunpoed off into the distance.

* * *

"R-E-N-J-I, Renji, Renji is our guy!" An embarrassed blush overcame the tall redhead's face. He looked over his shoulder at the bright eyed girl behind him. A large and friendly smile covered her face.

"Yes, cause that's not embarrassing at all, Setsu," he sarcastically said. She laughed loudly.

"Oh whatever, Renji-kun. I was just trying to keep you all positive like. Is that so bad?" He rolled his eyes and smirked before turning back around. The two friends were at the kido training grounds of the Shino Academy. Renji had told Setsuna the other day that he wanted her to come with him as he trained after hours at the school. He had wanted someone to judge him to see if he really had improved on his kido.

"You are really a character, Setsuna." He lifted his hands in front of him and opened his left palm. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" A bright red ball of spirit energy left his hand and hit the bull's-eye in front of him, shattering it completely. Setsuna jumped up and down waving her arms above her head. She cheered loudly. Renji shook his head but couldn't help but to smile at her antics.

"Yaaaay! My Renji-kun did it! Yes he did! Woot woooot! No more explosions for you, nope nope! You rocked that, Sir!"

"Oh, Setsuna it's not that big of a deal."

"Uhhh yea it is. You're getting better at kido, I'm getting better at kido. Hell, before you know it we'll both be full-fledged shinigami in the Gotei 13."

"You may be. I still have four more years to go before I can graduate from Shino Academy."  
"But you'll still make it in as soon as you leave. You're a good fighter, Renji-kun. You have to have more confidence in your abilities." She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest. Renji's face instantly reddened. "I believe in you, why can't you? I love you man. You're like my brother from another mother." He lifted a brow.

"Brother from another mother?"

"Yea it's a human expression nee-chan taught me. It's when you're really close to a guy who means as much to you as your own family does." He smiled softly and patted the top of her head.

"Thanks. That really means a lot. I love you too. Like a sister I mean." She let go and looked up at him.

"Hey do you wanna get some taiyaki as a reward for us being so awesome? I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day and nee-chan worked the hell out of me."

"Sure, that's cool. I'm starving too."

"Yes! Alright, let's go." She wrapped her arm around his and happily walked with him off the field.

* * *

It had been almost two months since Sayori began to train Setsuna and steadily, she was regaining her skills as a shinigami. Luckily for everyone, the sealing kido cast upon her twenty-five years prior had not taken its full effect on her powers. She still had some remnants of the four basic shinigami skills. Her kido was weak, but improving. Her flash step was decent. Her combat was average. However, she still had not connected with her zanpakto enough to remember her shikai release. Every day she and Sayori trained from sunrise to sundown. Many times Renji, Ichigo, Arisu, and Rukia would join in to help. A few of the captains and other ranked shinigami from other divisions would also stop by to lend advice. Setsuna appreciated all of the support she received. Although she still could not remember her complete past, the fights caused her to have little bursts of memories. An image of her using kido here; an image of her fighting a hollow there. Slow as it was, it was progress none the less.

The workday had ended for the Squad Six offices. However, the day was not over for the Squad Six lieutenant. Renji could hear the grunting and yelling and clashing of metal as he walked closer and closer to one of the training grounds on the Kuchiki estate. Byakuya had recently moved Setsuna's trainings here as the constant sound of battle was beginning to annoy his subordinates. At the end of the path, he saw the regal image of his superior, still dressed in his captain's uniform, sitting peacefully on the porch. He sat in silence as he watched the two women fight. "Taicho," Renji greeted with a wave. Byakuya turned his cool eyes on the man.

"Renji."

"I'm sorry I came without checking with you first."

"That is alright. Considering your history with Rukia and your friendship with Setsuna, I fully expect your visits at this point." Renji smirked and nodded his head. He walked over beside his captain and sat down with him to watch the show. His eyes widened as he saw the scandalous outfit of the elder sister: a low-cut, long sleeve, tight, black spandex bodysuit with a peach obi around her waist, a lavender bra underneath and black, flat shoes. Her long, blue locks were braided into a high-ponytail on the back of her head and black, fingerless gloves covered her hands. Renji smirked to himself. _This must be why captain is so calm sitting here, heh heh heh._

"How has she been coming along today?" He asked, eyeing the younger cerulean eyed girl before him. He watched her as she maneuvered around in a standard shihakusho, her long, black high-ponytail bouncing behind her and her sword agitating her sister's.

"She is improving. I see no cause for concern just yet." Renji nodded again.

"Good. That's great news. Has she been able to release her zanpakto yet?"

"No. However, Sayori believes that she will be able to channel it soon."

"I hope so. Her zanpakto had some amazing abilities. It would be great to have the old Setsuna back."

"Defense, Setsuna! You need more defense!" Sayori called out to her sister as she charged at her again with her zanpakto. Setsuna grunted as the metal crashed against hers. She pushed the sword away and swung downward onto Sayori's. She fell to her knee and pushed back up against Setsuna causing her to fall backwards. She stopped her fall with her hands. Sayori shunpoed and rushed Setsuna, backing her into a tree. She smiled. "You're getting better, Hime. You definitely should be able to release your shikai soon."

"Thank you, Sayo-chan." Sayori sighed and lowered her eyes. _Sayo-chan. She still does not trust me enough yet to call me her sister like she used to. _Setsuna used the distraction to her advantage and pushed the elder woman off of her. Sayori flipped and slid on her right knee. Setsuna held up her index finger. "Hado 4: Byakurai!" A rush of white lightening launched at Sayori's chest. She repelled the attack with her katana's blade, knocking it off to the side.

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!" The six beams of spirit energy aimed themselves at Setsuna and held her arms captive at her sides making her unable to move. Sayori smiled as she cancelled the spell moments later.

"Alright, that should be all for today." Both sisters turned to the soft yet strong voice of the Squad Six captain, who was walking toward them with his lieutenant closely following. While his face remained unchanged, a huge smile was plastered on Renji's face. Setsuna felt a little shy under his gaze, fidgeting with her sword a little.

"You really have gotten better," Renji said. "You are picking up your skills faster than Ichigo did when he was learning. But I guess that's natural since you have learned them once before." Sayori beamed proudly as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"That's right. My baby sis has got talent. I expect to see that terror of a zanpakto any day now." Setsuna raised her brows.

"Terror? What do you mean?" The thicker girl chuckled.

"Well, I don't want to spoil the surprise for you. You're just going to have to wait and see for yourself, Hime."

"Renji, Setsuna has my permission to take the rest of the evening off. You may escort her back to the barracks."

"Hai taicho." He respectfully bowed before wrapping his arm around Setsuna's shoulder.

"See you tomorrow, Hime. I love you."

"Okay, goodnight, Sayori-chan." As she walked away with Renji, Setsuna questioned her sister's earlier comments more. "Renji?"

"Yes?"

"What did Sayori-chan mean when she said that my zanpakto was a 'terror'?" Apart of Renji wanted to tell her the full extent of her sword's power, however another part of him did not want to scare the girl. He decided to just tell her its basic ability.

"Well, your sword has a special ability where it can completely blind an opponent. It's not a temporary blindness either. The effects will last even after the fight is over. It can only be cured by a special tonic created by Unohana-taicho or when you decide to lift the curse on them."

"Wow that does sound pretty scary."

"It is a powerful zanpakto, but don't let it overwhelm you when you manifest it again, okay? I promise you that when it appears, you will be fine. You didn't make the fourth seat in Squad Thirteen for no reason, you know." Setsuna smiled softly.

"Thanks Renji. Even though I still can't remember my past with you, I'm so glad that I have you as a friend."

* * *

Sayori peacefully and exhaustively watched the orange tinted sunset above as she rested against a sakura tree. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled the fragrance of the falling petals. This relaxing moment to herself is just what she needed before she took a hot bath and got into bed. However, she would just have to spend that time alone instead. The crunching sound of grass grabbed her ear.

"I am glad to see that my clan's and Squad Six's facilities are being put to a good use," Byakuya said as he approached the sitting woman. Sayori tilted her head back and grinned.

"You think too little of me, Byakuya. You know that I had my sister covered from the start. I wasn't going to let anyone down." She turned her head and opened one eye as he sat down beside her. His face was calm and stoic, but softer than how he had been looking at her over the last two months.

"You are getting better with her. You seem a little stronger now than you did when you were my lieutenant." She smirked.

"Well I guess the constant presence of shinigami over my shoulders motivated me to get better. You never know when I will have to defend myself from you guys."

"Such nonsense. Nobody is going to attack you."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Not everyone is so forgiving like you."

"Who said that I was?" Sayori lifted a brow, feeling a little surprised. However, she smirked and shook her head when she remembered who she was talking to. She sighed and leaned back against the tree.

"No. I suppose that you haven't forgiven me. My mistake." They sat in silence for a few moments. They shared a weird atmosphere that neither had ever experienced with the other. The close and friendly feeling that they shared in the past was not quite there, but the animosity that had grown between them over the years had been diluted as well. Neither he nor she wanted to admit that they missed the other's friendship. Both were too prideful and too stubborn to make the first "I'm sorry". No, this moment of peace between them was the best one could expect from them at the moment.

"The investigation should be ending soon," Byakuya said after a while. Sayori sat erect and stared at his profile.

"Oh? What have they found out?"

"The Head Captain has not released any details yet. He probably won't until the investigation is complete. However for Squad Eight and Squad Two to take this long to re-investigate a twenty-five year old case, there must be some new information that has come up."

"Well, I would not be surprised if it does. Maybe people will finally see that I was not lying for all of these years."

"Well, you would not have been in that predicament if you had handled the situation like a proper leader should have." Sayori rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Byakuya, can you please stop? I get it okay; I shamed myself and disappointed a lot of people. You think that I haven't realized that after almost three decades of solitude? I lost my whole life because of this, okay? I get it."

"You do not have to get upset, Sayori."

"Yes I do. I am so tired of you beating this dead horse. I know that what I did may have not been the best thing but I'm tired of everyone judging me for it; especially you. I just wanted you to –". Sayori stopped herself as she felt herself nearing an emotional state that she simply could not deal with. Byakuya turned and looked her in the eyes.

"You wanted me to do what?"

"Nothing. Just forget it."

"No, state what you were going to say."

"Byakuya! Leave it alone, please!" Reluctant to listen, Byakuya remained quiet and did not prod her any further. The silence fell upon them again. Byakuya closed his eyes and listened to the calming sound of the sakura petals and tree leaves rustling in the wind. He inhaled their sweet, lovely scent as some would shower him and Sayori from time to time. A soft chuckle from his female companion drew his ear.

"What is so funny?"

"You remember that time when we were about 120 or 130 and Yoruichi played Hollows and Shinigami with us? Haha . . . and . . . hahaaa . . . you were the shinigami?" Byakuya furrowed his brows, remembering all too well the humiliating story.

"I thought we agreed to never mention that day again." Sayori tried to stifle a snicker.

"I know, I know. It's just that, being right here with you now made me remember how funny that was. How you tried to catch Yoruichi as she shunpoed around the tree but ran smack into it when she did Utsesemi."

"Yes, I remember that day with that demon-cat."

"The best part was that you only sprained your ankle, but Ginrei-sama had to knock you out with kido to make you stop crying. That was the funniest thing I swear."

"I fail to see the humor in any of that. However, I do recall one occasion when you tried to dye your hair the same color as hers and most of it fell out." Sayori laughed.

"That was awful. I had to wear my hair in that awful pixie cut style for the longest time. Some people can pull it off but I was not one."

"Then you tried to fight Hiyori Sarugaki whenever she called you baldy. That was indeed quite humorous." Sayori rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Yes, oh my gosh I hated that girl. She worked my last nerves with that bad attitude she had. Plus I never understood why she always tried to beat up on Shinji-kun."

"Then there was that time you and Rangiku Matsumoto snuck out of the Seireitei and went to the World of the Living to buy lingerie and when Yoshimitsu-sama found out, he gave you the worst whopping I have ever seen."

"Whatever, Byakuya. Nothing I ever did will ever beat the time you tried to cook your own breakfast and burned down so much of your estate that your family had to stay with the Shiba clan while it was being rebuilt. You had to stay with me because everyone was pissed at you." She laughed so hard that her stomach was beginning to hurt. "Man, we have some many stories that we can tell our kids one day." He lifted a brow.

"_Our_ kids?" She bit her lip.

"Not ours _together_, crazy; with other people."

"I was under the impression that you and Zi may have had a child." She lowered her gaze and smiled sadly.

"I was pregnant once, but –"

_ZZZZUUMMMMMMPLAAAAW! _

An extremely loud crash from deep in the Seireitei jerked the two shinigami out of their conversation. Off in the distance a bright flash of spirit energy erupted in the area close to Squad Nine's barracks followed by a cloud of smoke. Moments later, another bright light and a smoke cloud appeared around Squad Eleven and another close to Squad Six. Wide eyed and mouth agape, Sayori jumped to her feet.

"What the hell?" she said in amazement, taking a few steps in front of her.

"Grab your zanpakto," Byakuya ordered as he grabbed Senbonzakura by the hilt. Sayori looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"What?"

"Do not make me repeat myself." The captain shunpoed away. Sayori stared at the spot he had been for a moment. She was no longer a member of the Gotei 13. In all honesty, she had no responsibility to obey his command or to defend the Seireitei after all she had been through. Still, she knew that she had to help out; if only to protect her sister from this sudden threat.

She picked up her zanpakto off the ground. She smiled as she fastened the sword to her bodysuit. "It's been a long time since we defended this place hasn't it, Tejinashi. Oh well, back to business I guess." She shunpoed off toward Byakuya's direction.

* * *

"Ugh, freakin' arrancars!" Renji, who had beaten his captain to the scene, yelled as he charged at a very large hollow with his mask broken. "Roar! Zabimaru!" The skinny katana transformed into the large, segmented sword that was Zabimaru. Renji swung the whip-like sword at the arrancar and cut him on the side of his arm. Growling, the arrancar lifted his other arm and swiped at Renji. The attack missed, but created a wind strong enough that it knocked the tall man backwards and onto his rear. He slid back until he hit one of the walls at the entrance of the barracks.

"Ugh, dammit!" he growled as he rubbed his head and quenched his eyes.

"You idiot, you move too slow!" Renji opened his eyes and looked in front of him to see the small, tiny frame of his best friend accompanied by a taller, bright-haired companion. He smirked.

"Geez, I apologize for offending you, Rukia. I didn't know that my awesome skills made me an idiot though. Hey, Ichigo."

"'Sup, Renji."

"Awesome or not, you need to be more careful." The petite woman scolded, extending her hand to Renji. He shook his head and stood on his own power. Suddenly the arrancar let out a loud, ear-piercing screech. The Squad Six shinigami's eyes widened as the large beast began to divide himself into three slightly smaller, but still massive, arrancar.

"Oh hell no, this is some Grade A bullshit." Renji looked to his left to see that Arisu had now arrived at the scene. He narrowed his eyes.

"Where the hell have you been? You should have arrived with me!" The blonde rolled her teal eyes.

"Psh. I was visiting Ukitake-taicho and Kyoraku-taicho with Setsuna. We wanted to see them today. It's not my fault that an arrancar wanted to stop by."

"Whatever. We do not have time for your excuses. Let's hurry and get rid of this thing before Kuchiki-taicho kicks all of our asses." He ran toward one of the clones and swung his sword again. The large blade connected with the side of its head, knocking it down.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo fired his special attack from Zangetsu and hit the down arrancar on the neck, severing its head from its body. The ugly behemoth cried loudly before dying and evaporating. The parent arrancar released the same cry and writhed around in pain. It fell to its knees and held firmly to the ground. Both Ichigo and Renji, who had felt victorious, stopped cold and watched with large eyes as the arrancar manifested another clone from its back.

"What the hell?!" Ichigo cried out as a second arrancar split off from the clone. Making a total of four.

"They keep multiplying! I think we have to kill off the original and quickly," Arisu said, holding her katana horizontally in front of her.

"Sting! Dokusasoriza!" The silver katana with a dark green hilt in Arisu's hand transformed into a long black whip. A small, green aura surrounded the whip when she cracked it, fully awakening its shikai. "You guys, try not to breathe in my zanpakto," she warned her companions before charging at the head arrancar. She lifted her arm to swing her whip. "Sankisu!" She brought down her whip and attempted to slash the arrancar but a clone jumped in front of it and received the attack. Green spots in the shape of kisses appeared all over the clone. The clone shrieked as its skin began to steam where the kisses appeared, the acid effect of Arisu's zanpakto inflicting great pain. The clone evaporated after a few moments. Arisu triumphantly smiled as she put her hands on her hips. However, as she was celebrating, another clone came and hit her from behind, knocking her a great distance from the others.

"Dance! Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia released her zanpakto and held it vertically in front of her. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" A pillar of ice formed at the base of the clone, which had just attacked Arisu, and extended several feet above it. Rukia smirked as the pillar shattered with the clone inside, eliminating him. Moments later, Ichigo and Renji took out the last two clones.

The head arrancar shrieked with rage as its spiritual pressure raised so much that many of the lesser ranked and unranked Squad Six shinigami collapsed under its weight. The four strongest shinigami in attendance stared at the beast as it threw a tantrum, seeming to alter its power in some way. Before they knew what happened to them, the arrancar disappeared from the spot it was in and charged at them with such rapid speed that if any of them blinked, they would not have seen the attack. Renji, Ichigo, Arisu and Rukia all flew backwards several feet in the air before crashing to the ground with a large thud.

"This is freaking crazy," Arisu groaned, trying to get to her feet but failing. "_Umf!_ Ugh, where does Aizen find these freaks?!"

"I have no idea," Renji said, helping the girl up after he struggled himself. "But we have to stop it before it wrecks the entire squad."

"I know. It's so strong though. Where is Kuchiki-taicho?"

"I don't know. Surely he heard the commotion. Either way we have to stop this thing. With or without the captain."

"ARRRGH!" Renji and Arisu looked up to see Ichigo attacking the beast again, lashing Zangetsu against its thick, pale skin. The demon growled as it hit him with the back of its hand, knocking Ichigo away again.

"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed, concerned about the hit, which looked like it had been vicious. The arrancar turned its eyes on the tiny soul reaper, who was still struggling to get to her feet. It launched itself at the easiest target.

"Rukia! Get out of the way!" Renji cried out. He was too far to move her himself and he would never make it to her in enough time. Rukia cringed as she tried to shield herself from the oncoming attack.

"Create the nightmare! Kageryuu!" A shroud of darkness suddenly surrounded Rukia and the massive Arrancar, causing it to miss its attack on her and land several feet behind her. The beast shrieked as it threw its hands to its eyes and writhed in pain. Arisu and Renji looked at the demon with wide eyes. Rukia felt the same amount of shock as she slowly rose to her feet.

"H- He's blinded," Ichigo said in amazement, walking over to the others. "But how? Rukia didn't do anything. Did you guys?"

"No, it wasn't us," Arisu said, a small grin playing at her features.

"That black cloud of shadows," Rukia said still surprised. "It can't be."

"No, it was definitely an attack from Kageryuu. Which means . . ." Renji slowly turned to his right and saw the slender, dark skinned form of Setsuna breathing heavily by the gate of the barracks. Her cerulean eyes were just as shocked as the others as she stared at her now released zanpakto. The pure black, ax-like weapon shook in her hands along with her body. A grin now appeared on the red-head's face as well. "She's back."

"I don't . . . how? I don't understand . . . what just happened?" Setsuna said, shaking violently, solely focused on the weapon in her hands. The girl's eyes dulled as she stumbled backward on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Setsuna!" Renji cried out, about to shunpo over to her. However, another cerulean eyed beauty arrived just in time to break her fall. Setsuna dropped her zanpakto as she collapsed in her sister's arms. Sayori smiled to herself as she eased Setsuna to the ground.

"I knew you would get it eventually. That's my girl."

"Scatter. Senbonzakura." A barrage of cherry blossom-like blades suddenly surrounded the blind arrancar and ripped into it. The beast let out one last, loud shriek before evaporating like the clones. Byakuya called Senbonzakura's blades back to the hilt before putting it back inside of its sheath. Rukia's eyes lit up.

"Nii-sama!" she said, running with the others to the barracks entrance.

"We apologize for the delay. Aizen has released his minions all over the Seireitei. However, everything appears to be under control at this point. Is everyone alright?"

"Hai, Nii-sama."

"Hai, Kuchiki-taicho."

"Hai, Kuchiki-taicho."

"Yea, Byakuya. We're all okay." Byakuya narrowed his eyes at Ichigo. _The disrespect of this boy, I swear._

"I think Setsuna's fine as well," Sayori said, stroking her hair. She looked up at Renji. "But would you mind taking her to the infirmary just to make sure?"

"Of course I can," he replied, kneeling down to collect her.

"Hold on, Renji," Byakuya said. "The Head Captain has called an emergency meeting for all captains and lieutenants. He has requested for you to come as well, Sayori. We must leave immediately. Arisu Mochizuki, I would like for you to remain at the barracks until we return. Ichigo Kurosaki, I trust that you will be able to take Setsuna to Squad Four?" Ichigo nodded his head.

"Sure Byakuya, no problem." Ichigo reached down and lifted the woman in his arms.

"I will go with him, Nii-sama," Rukia said. Byakuya slightly nodded as the girl walked closely by her human friend. Sayori and Byakuya turned and began to walk in the opposite direction. Arisu walked toward the barracks. Renji stood still for a moment, watching Ichigo as he walked away with his best friend and his long-lost friend in tow. The scene stirred a strange feeling inside of him. However, he did not have time to dwell upon it then. He turned on his heels and followed his captain to the first division's barracks.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for reading. Look for an update sometime this weekend :)**_


	13. Secret

**A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews. I appreciate it so much!**

**Sorry for the delay in posting. I had graduation parties to attend this weekend lol. Okay so some thangs and I do mean _some thangs_ are definitely happening in this chapter lol. Hope you ladies and gentlemen enjoy it :)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

**80 years ago…**

"Sooo . . . what is this supposed to like . . . be?" Byakuya groaned and rolled his eyes.

"I've already told you a million times. His name is Admiral Seaweed. Damn, what is so hard to understand about that?"

"I know its name but like what the hell is it? Is it radioactive seaweed or something?" Sayori could tell that her best friend was becoming more and more annoyed by her questions. While his attitude did amuse her, this was one of the rare times she was actually sincere in her teasing. She really could not understand the concept behind Admiral Seaweed. "Is he _only_ protecting seaweed? What are algae not important enough or something?"

"Oh shut up!" Byakuya felt insulted as he moved the drawing from the bed and set it on the floor. No one seemed to appreciate the brilliance of his favorite cartoon character. People had teased both him and his creation ever since he developed it during his freshman year at Shino Academy. _Idiots, all of them._ Sayori tried her best to stifle a laugh.

"I'm sorry," she said with a shaky voice. Byakuya gave her a look as if to say 'yeah-right' and rolled his eyes again before lying on his stomach on his bed. Sayori bore her Cheshire-cat like smile and stretched. She folded her arms in front of her and rested her head on the top. "I wonder what being a shinigami is going to be like. I'm so ready for tomorrow." Byakuya shrugged his shoulders as he lay parallel to the shapely young woman.

"It should be fine. I think I will enjoy myself actually." Sayori gave him a "boy-please" look.

"Of course you will enjoy yourself. You're already the freaking lieutenant of Squad Six. Like, who does that? Gotta love that nepotism."

"It is not nepotism. I was tested the same as everyone else and I just happened to be superior. My grandfather pulled no strings." Sayori laughed.

"Yeah right, Byakuya. If I were to suddenly become the lieutenant of Squad Five instead of Aizen, everyone would know that it was because of my dad pulling strings. But if you don't want to believe that's what happened with you, believe what you need to believe. The rest of us will just delight in your delusions."

"You wouldn't be good enough to surpass Aizen-fukutaicho so your point is irrelevant." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm better than you at least. Don't forget that I used to beat you in fights quite often. Even back to that day when we first met each other."

"You definitely did not win that fight, Sayori. If anything I won since I made you cry."

"I only cried because you ruined my outfit and I knew that tou-san and kaa-san were furious about how I acted. I totally won the fight though. Tou-san had to pull me off of you."

"You snuck up on me and I didn't expect it. Had you not done that, you probably would not have gotten in any licks to be honest.

"See, now you're just making shit up. I beat that ass fair and square." Byakuya rose to his knees. He stared down at her in disbelief.

"You honestly believe that story, don't you?" Sayori rolled over onto her back.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." She sat up. "I can give you an encore presentation if you'd like." She smirked as she gave him a light push. Byakuya smirked back. He grabbed her wrists when she tried to push him again.

"Don't start something that you can't finish, Say-chan." She knew he was only being playful when he used his nickname for her. She grinned evilly as she wriggled from his grip.

"I finish everything I start, Bya-kun." She sprang forward, pushed him on his back and climbed onto his lap, trying to pin him down to the bed. He laughed as he pushed up against her and flipped her onto her back. She panted as she tried to break free.

"Give it up already. You know I'm stronger, this is pointless."

"Fuck you and your strength!" Byakuya shook his head as he flipped the girl over onto her stomach. He took her right arm and forced it behind her, holding it down against her back. "Ow, ow, ow! Dang Byakuya, that hurts!" He loosened his grip a little.

"Say it."

"What? Hell no."

"Say it or I will torture the hell out of you."

"I'm not saying it."

"Okay, if you say so." Byakuya began to tickle Sayori with his other hand. She squirmed and laughed under him. She tried to break the grip he had on her arm as she tried to avoid his tickles but it was of no use.

"B – B – Byakuya. Quit already. Stop, haha, pl – plea, haha, please stop."

"Not until you say it."

"Haha – no."

"You better say it, Sayori."

"No!"

"Sayoriii."

"Okay, okay! Byakuya Kuchiki is the smartest, most handsome man I know and he is going to be a better shinigami than I will ever be." As soon as she made the statement, Byakuya let go of her arm and got off of her back. Sayori attempted to come after him again, but Byakuya grabbed her wrists and pinned her back down. He smirked as he shook his head.

"Ah ahhh. I thought you had learned your lesson." Sayori laughed and sighed defeated.

"Ugggh! Okay fine, I quit."

"About time."

"Shut up." They both laughed at each other. Byakuya moved and let Sayori sit up as he sat between her legs. He stared at her in silence as she adjusted her clothing and hair that had gotten tangled during their wrestling match. "Man why do you always have to play so rough. I'm a lady. Show some respect." He licked his lips. "I mean I hope you're not going to treat your subordinates like this. Ginrei-sama will kill you if you do haha."

"Say-chan."

"Yeah?"

"Come here." It all happened so fast. She knew that he was the one who called her closer but she didn't know if he initiated the act of if she did. All she could think about was how soft his lips felt against hers. She let her eyes flutter close as she returned his gentle, oral caresses. She grabbed the sleeve of his yukata as he wrapped his fingers in her hair, deepening the kiss. She moaned softly when his tongue explored her mouth and hers returned the favor. It was only when they paused for air did they fully realize what had just went down in his bedroom. Two pairs of eyes widened. Sayori put two fingers to her lips as she stared at him. Byakuya bit his and quickly moved from between her legs. He turned away from her and stared at the opposite wall, not quite knowing what to think or say. He could hear Sayori as she fumbled behind him.

"I – I'm going to go home. I'll see you later, Byakuya."

"Mhm," was all he could say as he heard her quickly rush out of the room.

* * *

"Oniiiiii-chan." Maikeru cringed when he heard the sing-song voice of his little sister behind him. He knew that he was about to be in store for a most annoying encounter. Sayori only used that voice when she wanted something from him. He had already had enough stress to deal with since the elders still greatly disapproved his recent marriage. His new bride, Miu, was from Jakura. Even though his father granted permission for him to marry her, it did not stop the elders from making a fuss to him or to Yoshimitsu. When it was time for Yoshimitsu to pass on, Maikeru was the designated successor. The elders felt that his marriage would sully the Hidaka name. However, being who he was, he did not care. Maikeru felt that his happiness always came before duty.

The handsome, young man turned in his chair and looked at his sister with tired hazel eyes. "What is it Sayo?" Sayori smiled innocently as she skipped over to her older brother. She flopped down right beside him and stared him with deceitfully, angelic eyes. These eyes succeeded in creeping out the raven haired noble, even though that was not her intention. "Sayo, stop stalling. I'm kind of busy, so what do you want?"

"I need to ask you something."

"How much money do you need?"

"What? What makes you think I'm going to ask you for money?"

"Because you and Setsu always ask me for money."

"Noooo silly. I don't want any money. I have a job now, remember." Maikeru smiled.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you start working under Ukitake-senpai tomorrow. Congratulations. You're going to love him." Sayori smiled wider.

"Thank you nii-chan. See, I'm covered. Besides, if I need money I'll just ask dad." The light-brown skinned man rolled his eyes. _One step forward, two steps back. That's my sisters for you._

"So what do you want to ask?" Sayori sighed deeply before answering.

"I need some advice about . . . boys." Maikeru cringed again. He knew that his sister was growing and maturing into a beautiful woman. However, he did not want her to have the feelings of one just yet. He smiled nervously.

"Shouldn't you be asking dad about things like that? Or better yet, mom?"

"Tou-san would only make jokes about everything and I want a male perspective. Kaa-san can't give me that." _I don't want dad to know I like Byakuya. He can't keep a secret if his life depended on it. He would definitely joke about it with Ginrei-sama or Sojun-sama. Then Byakuya will find out. Hell no, worst idea ever!_

"Alright," Maikeru reluctantly agreed. "What is it that you would like to know?" She swallowed.

"I like . . . this guy, but I don't know if he likes me back. In a boyfriend/girlfriend type way I mean."

"Do I know this young lad?"

"Uhh . . . y-yea you do."

"Well, can a brother get a name?" Sayori felt her face heat up.

"Umm . . . well . . .uhhh . . ."

"Oh hell no. Do not tell me that you like that fuck-up, Zi Shihoin?! Sayori, even Yoruichi was ashamed of him. And considering how free spirited she was, that says a whole lot."

"No, it's not – "

"I mean a whooooole lot."

"No, no, no. I'm not talking about Zi. I'm talking about . . . someone else."

"Well, the only other guys I see you hang around a lot are Gin Ichimaru, Kaien Shiba and Byakuya Kuchiki. I know for a fact that you don't like Kaien in that way and Gin is too weird for you to like. That leaves only one person." Sayori bit her lip and lowered her head. Just hearing him say it made her feel so embarrassed. _Damn, are my feelings really that obvious?_

When she lifted her head, Maikeru stared down at her with a joyous grin. He chuckled. "Why are you smiling so much, nii-chan?"

"Because I think I just won the bet! Hell yes!" Her eyes widened.

"What are you talking about? What bet?"

"Tou-san, Aoki-ojisan and I had a bet going about which one of y'all would fall first. Tou-san and Aoki-ojisan said Byakuya and I said you. Looks like I won."

"What the hell! I can't believe you guys bet on me!"

"Oh would you relax? It was only for fun. We all knew it was only a matter of time before one of you started to have feelings for the other. The boy is over so much that he's like my real brother for kami sake." He shook his head, still smiling. "So you like Byakuya, huh? That is very cute, in all honesty."

"Yes, but I don't know if he likes me back. That's why I came over to see you."

"Well, did you ask him?"

"What?! I can't ask him if he likes me without knowing if he actually does like me first. I am not about to get embarrassed. Hell to the no."

"Pride can often get in the way of what is meant to be, little sister."

"I know, nii-chan, but I already played off the kiss as an accident, and – "

"Whoa, whoa whoa. You've kissed him?" Maikeru was very over protective to the women in his life. Even though he knew Byakuya very well and the Kuchikis were on good relations with his family, he still did not like the idea of any boy kissing his sister. At least not until she was 500 years old. Sayori's face heated up again.

". . . y-yeaaa. Why was that a bad idea or something?" Maikeru buried his face in his palms. This conversation was bound to take an awkward and uncomfortable turn. He didn't know if he was quite ready yet.

"Imouto-chan, I don't really have time for this today. Please go ask kaa-san for advice. She's the one for this conversation."

"Please, nii-chan." He sighed, exasperated.

"Fine okay. What happened with the kiss?"

"Well we were just play fighting and wrestling and the next thing I know, he tells me to come closer and I kiss him. I don't know who kissed who first though."

"It sounds like both of you have romance on the brain."

"Yea but after we kissed, he started acting awkward. I mean the whole thing _was_ kinda awkward. I hurried and left the manor after it happened. I didn't know what to think."

"Well it sounds like he likes you and that you like him too. However, it also seems that both of you are afraid of what would happen if either of you show it."

"So, what should I do?"

"For starters, you and Byakuya need to talk about it. It's not my place to say that you two should or should not try a relationship. It is up to you two to decide your own future. Just know that whatever happens, you always have your big brother behind you." Sayori smiled.

"Thanks, nii-chan." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Just then, a servant came and knocked on his door.

"Excuse me Maikeru-sama, but Miu-sama requests your presence in her chambers." Immediately, Maikeru dropped what he was doing and jumped to his feet. Sayori felt offended.

"What a second, you told me that you were busy. How come I have to leave you alone but Miu-onee-chan doesn't?" Maikeru looked down and smirked.

"That is because Miu needs me in a way that you don't." Her eyes widened. She rose to her feet.

"Okay, yeah that's really nasty. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Aww. Hey, maybe you can fulfill those needs for Byakuya."

"LALALAAAA NOT LISTENING!" Maikeru laughed heartily as he gave his sister a tight embrace.

"I love you imouto-chan."

"I love you too nii-chan."

* * *

It was an unusually warm fall night when Bai-Lin Chang and Hibune Kuchiki exchanged vows in front of the Hidaka family, the Chang family, the Kuchiki family, and members of other noble clans. The raven haired young bride, with happy cerulean eyes and a glowing caramel complexion, could not stop smiling as she danced and exchanged kisses with her coal-eyed groom. It was easy to see how much each loved the other, a sight which warmed the heart of Cho as she hosted the reception on the Hidaka estate grounds. Happy to escape more pressing clan duties, Cho spent the night dancing and entertaining potential suitors from the four great clans and men from clans of lesser status. Li-Hua Chang, Bai-Lin's youngest sister, would tease Cho about possibly getting engaged that same night. Cho would laugh and blush as she dismissed her cousin's jokes, but deep inside she hoped that an engagement would come soon. However, the man that she desired was not from any line of nobility. Yet and still, he had a regal nature about him that intimidated a highly-ranked noblewoman like her.

As Cho conversed with Ginrei Kuchiki, who filled in for his grandson as the head representation for the Kuchiki clan, a grey haired, dark-skinned man tapped her on her shoulder. She turned and sighed deeply when she saw that it was one of the elders. Being that the elders rarely made public appearances at family celebrations, Cho already knew that what they wanted could not have been good. "What is the matter?" she asked.

"Forgive us, Cho-sama, but the elders request your presence in an urgent meeting." She rolled her eyes.  
"Seriously, can't this wait until after Bai-Lin's wedding. It would be highly rude of me to leave before the gathering has ended. Especially since members from the four great clans are in attendance." She hoped that her emphasis on the last part would give the man some incentive to leave her alone. However, it did little to deter him.

"I am aware of the possible rude appearance of your absence, Cho-sama. However, something very important has come to the elders' attention. Sayori is in the custody of the Gotei 13 and Setsuna-sama is alive." Cho's eyes widened. _How did they find out. . ._

Cho turned to Ginrei as she rose from her seat. "Please excuse me, Ginrei-sama. It appears that something has come up that fully requires my attention.

"Hn." Ginrei replied as the younger woman bowed before taking her leave.

"So . . . what is this news of Setsuna?" Cho asked as she took her seat in front of all seven elders of the Hidaka clan. The head elder rose from his seat.

"Cho-sama, it had recently come to our attention that both Setsuna-sama and Sayori have returned to the Seireitei. Apparently both are being held in the custody of Kuchiki Byakuya-sama." Cho nodded her head and listened, pretending as if this was the first she had heard of the news.  
"Go on."

"According to reports, the Gotei 13 believes that Sayori is the prime suspect in Setsuna-sama's disappearance. Also, the General is re-investigating Sayori's murder trial."

"I see."

"Furthermore, we have also learned that Setsuna-sama is not able to remember anything from her past on account of Sayori's actions."

"Hmm." The lead elder tilted his head and cocked an eybrow.

"Forgive me M'Lady, but you do not seem phased by this news."

"Well . . . I'm just trying to understand this new information you just told me," she lied. "I have heard these rumors earlier, but I did not want to act until they were true. I have yet to see Sayori or Setsuna physically."

"We assure you, Cho-sama, that the rumors are a fact."

"Which causes us a great dilemma," another elder said. Cho slightly rose her brows.

"What dilemma?" The other elder cleared his throat before speaking.

"According to the Hidaka clan laws of succession, the title of clan leader goes to the currently living, eldest child of the previous clan leader. Theoretically, the line of succession should have been Kenji-sama, Aoki-sama, and then you. However, due to Kenji-sama's decision to make Yoshimitsu-sama clan leader instead, the line of succession is now Kenji-sama, Yoshimitsu-sama, Maikeru-sama, and then Tomoe." Cho shook her head.

"That is ridiculous. Tomoe is still only a child. Furthermore, nobody knows where she or her mother is currently living. How can she be the official heir if she is not even capable of leading?"

"This brings me to the second part of the law. Yes Tomoe theoretically _is_ the designated heir to the throne; but she is no longer eligible because her mother decided to distance themselves from the clan. Therefore, Maikeru-sama's line is now obsolete. This fact would make Sayori and her line the successors. However due to her banishment, she is now ineligible. Since Setsuna-sama is the last remaining child of Yoshimitsu-sama, the title of clan leader now goes to her and her line. Setsuna-sama is currently the legal heir to the throne." Cho's eyes widened.

"You must be mistaken. I was under the impression that once I was made the official leader, the line of succession now goes through me and my descendants."

"That was true at the time, since Yoshimitsu-sama's line was thought to be over. However since Setsuna-sama is still alive, we are bound by the law to make her leader. I apologize, Cho-sama but this is the way it has been done for generations."

"Do you have the official scroll that details the laws of succession? I need to see them, immediately."

"Yes, we do," the head elder said, reaching for the scroll on the ground beside him. "We reviewed it before coming to this meeting just to be sure that we was interpreting the law correctly." Shaking, Cho took the scroll and carefully read the law written on it. Everything that she had heard earlier was indeed true. Because Setsuna had not died like everyone had believed, she was the official heir to the throne. Cho quenched her eyes together as she slowly closed the scroll. _It wasn't supposed to be like this. How can this be happening after all we did to fix this situation? I thought that when he first told me that Setsuna was alive . . . ugh._

"I understand," she softly said as she gave the scroll back. "What you have said is indeed validated by what is written in the law. However, the law also states that another leader shall be chosen by the previous leader and verified by the elders if the current clan leader resigns and the designated heir is not fit to lead. When Sayori resigned 30 years ago to become a member of the Shihoin clan, she chose me to be the leader since Setsuna was not ready. All seven of you approved Sayori's decision after three years. Setsuna is still not ready to be clan leader because she is not able to remember her past. Due to these circumstances, I am still the official leader of the Hidaka clan; point blank period." The elders chatted amongst themselves for a moment. The head elder turned back to his leader.

"You are correct, Cho-sama. Setsuna-sama's amnesia does make her unfit. Therefore we have no choice but to allow you to continue your current reign. However, if Setsuna does regain her memories and her soundness to lead, we will remove you immediately from this position. That is the final decision of the seven elders of the Hidaka clan."

* * *

"Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, I have called this meeting to order to discuss some of the recent events that have been going on lately," Yamamoto said after the other nine captains had assembled in the grand meeting room in the Squad One barracks. "As you all know, earlier today Sosuke Aizen released an onslaught of arrancar on the Seireitei. Not only did he attack the Seireitei, but there have been reports of unusual activity occurring in various districts in the Rukongai. I order that Squads Eleven, Three, Seven and Six investigate this matter. I also order that you, Sayori Shihoin, assist Squad Six in this investigation. This decision is final."

* * *

The sun had fallen fast from the time Byakuya and Sayori left the Squad Six barracks and to when they finally arrived at the large forest that separated the east Rukongai's second district from the third one. The handsome captain and his former subordinate proceeded with caution as they maneuvered the narrow, winding path in the dark. It had been such a long time since Byakuya had gone on a mission in the east Rukongai that he almost forgot how dense the forests could be.

They were halfway through the forest when Sayori and Byakuya immediately turned their heads; the rapid sound of rustling bushes called their attention. She cocked her head and stepped a little to the side in order to see what was going on. She narrowed her eyes and withdrew Tejinashi from its sheath. Byakuya repeated the action with Senbonzakura. Being cautious and shrewd individuals, they knew better than to let their guards down. Even if the rustling turned out to be a simple squirrel, they felt better knowing that they were ready for what was about to come their way.

"Who's there?" Sayori asked, inching closer to the noise. Byakuya followed her even attempting to pass her. They both stopped when they heard a crafty chuckle.

"Well look who's back together, eh? How touching to see that real friendship can never end. It's all so very sweet." Both shinigami prepared to defend their lives as a figure began to emerge from the darkness of the bush. Byakuya widened his eyes and Sayori froze when she realized that she recognized the stranger. Silvery-white hair, eyes barely open and a huge grin on his lips.

"Gin?" Sayori said, staring at the white haired shinigami in front of her. Byakuya furrowed his brows as he instinctively tightened his grip on Senbonzakura. Gin grinned widely and cunningly as he slowly approached the two shinigami.

"Ahhh, Sayori Shihoin. It's been so long. What has it been now? Thirty years?"

"Almost. Thirty since I retired. Twenty-five since I was banished."

"Twenty-five years. Well, that has been quite some time, hasn't it. You still look as pretty as ever don't cha? Wouldn't you agree, Kuchiki-taicho?" Byakuya narrowed his eyes and glared at the man. Gin chuckled again. "And you are still a man of very few words, taicho. I suppose that you are not so happy to see me, huh?"

"I would never delight in a reunion with a traitor such as you."

"Aww, you make me sad. And here I thought that we had built more of a friendship over the years."

"Gin Ichimaru, I do not have time to play games. What is your business here and where are your other accomplices?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I am afraid that I can't give you that information. Some secrets are just way too devastatin' to reveal." He turned his head to Sayori and gave her an even more deceitful smirk. "Isn't that right, Sayori?" She narrowed her eyes.

"What? I don't know what you are talking about."

"Is that right? Well, my mistake. I suppose some of us are more in control of their inner demons than others are." He gave her a wink. Byakuya bounced his eyes between the two. He definitely felt like he was missing something. He knew by the expressions on their faces that Gin had pressed something in Sayori. His smile had become more sadistic and her face held anger. _What is he talking about? What does he know about Sayori that she's not telling? No, I don't like this at all._

Gin grabbed his zanpakto and removed it from its sheath. He slightly opened his eyes as he released his shikai. "Shoot to kill: Shinso." Instantly, Gin's sword rapidly expanded and impaled Sayori in her shoulder. Byakuya stared with wide eyes as blood began to gush from her body. Sayori shook in complete shock as Shinso withdrew from her, causing her to fall to her knees. She panted as she grabbed her injury, staring at Gin with hateful eyes.

"Damn you!" He chuckled.

"Aww, come now Sayori. Don't tell me that you have forgotten the destructive nature of my Shinso? All these years of inactivity have made you rusty haven't they?"

"Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Taking his distraction as an opportunity, Byakuya released his bankai and attempted to end this fight as quickly as possible. Countless blades rose from the earth and released into billions of smaller blades upon his utterance of "Scatter." However, Gin swiftly countered the attack with a Danku. He looked down at his companion as she slowly rose to her feet. "Stay alert. Do not go down this easy, I know you are better than that." She bit her lip and nodded.

"Sneak attackin' an opponent? How very unlike you, Byakuya. I expected more from you."

"How dare a man who betrays his peers lecture me about what is ethical. It's inconceivable."

"Think what you may, Kuchiki Lord, but it's goin' to take a whole 'lot more than that to defeat me." He returned to his battle stance. "Bankai. Kamishini no Yari." Targeting Sayori again, Gin released Shinso in a faster, more devastating attack. He succeeded in cutting the trees around them in half. Byakuya used Senbonzakura's blades to shield Sayori and himself from the attack. While shielded, Sayori held her zanpakuto perpendicular to her face.

"Lie: Tejinashi." The katana with the peach hilt transformed into a tall, curvy, voodoo priestess's staff with a skull at the top whose eye sockets blinked red. She grabbed the middle with both hands and spun it windmill style in front of her. She disappeared from behind Senbonzakura's barrier and reappeared behind Gin. Suddenly, her zanpakuto returned to a regular katana which she used to slash Gin across his back. After the hit, her zanpakuto returned to its staff appearance. Gin shunpoed backward from his two opponents to gather himself. He chuckled.

"That tricky sword of yours," he panted as he eyed the woman's zanpakuto. "Still packs quite a punch. I'm impressed."

"Guess I'm not as rusty as you thought, am I?"

"No, I suppose not. However you and I both know that you can't control that sword like you used to." She narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Again, Byakuya felt like he was lost in the conversation. _Something is going on. I do not have the time to dwell upon this._

"Gin Ichimaru, I grow tired of these mind games. This ends now." Byakuya sent his billion blades at Gin. Thinking quickly, Gin shunpoed through the forest, trying his best to avoid the attack. Byakuya remained still while Sayori followed him, bouncing off trees and shrubs as she shunpoed through the thickness of the forest. As Sayori closed in on the sneaky male, he stopped and turned around. He released Shinso again and cut a few more trees, attempting to crush both Senbonzakura and Sayori with them. The attack succeeded in stopping Senbonzakura, but Sayori narrowly escaped impact. Withdrawing his sword, he launched at the woman and swung the katana down above her head. After transforming the staff back into the katana, Sayori blocked the attack. Both fell from the trees to the earth below.

As they fought melee, Byakuya was able to catch up with them. As soon as he was mere feet from the scene, Gin released Shinso again, the force of the blade knocking both him and Sayori into a tree behind them. Both shinigami hit the ground with a thud. Gin retracted his blade and chuckled to himself as he stalked the two fallen soldiers. "Give it up, already. Even two shinigami are no match for my Shinso. Or should I say, one and a half shinigami." Sayori gripped the Earth in frustration. _You can't hide this for much longer Sayori. You know that you're going to show who you really are soon. What then? Are you prepared to lose control like you used to? What will your precious Byakuya think? Maybe he should be the one to experience the real you and not Gin._

"No!" Sayori screamed, pounding the dirt. She looked over at Byakuya with wide eyes. He was still shunpoing to the battle scene when Gin released Shinso at her. The impact caused her to slam into Byakuya who received the most impact when they slammed against the tree. Blood steadily poured from a gash in his head as he tried to get to his feet. She began to shake with anger when she saw him fail and fall back to the ground. The scene stirred something deep within her. Her body began to shake. Her heart rate quickened and the images before her began to blur. An ear-piercing shriek left her lips.

Byakuya, who was struggling to keep consciousness stared at the girl as she began to spaz out. Gin's smile became the most sadistic it had been that night as he watched her lose control. "What's wrong Sayori? You're not losing control are you? How very unfortunate." The Kuchiki clan leader moved his eyes from her to him and back to her. He saw that she was now writhing on the ground in pain and pulling her hair with great force. _What is wrong with her? It can't be that she . . . no._

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro." Six beams of spirit energy surrounded Sayori, causing her arms to remain flush by her sides, to stop the hair pulling. "Gokei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi ." The billion blades of Senbonzakura formed into a fast rotating sphere that enveloped Gin. "There is no escape from this attack Gin Ichimaru. You shall die where you stand." He grabbed Sayori and shunpoed to the top of a faraway tree where he watched the Gokei sphere collapse on itself. He waited patiently to see the obliterated corpse of his former colleague but was left in complete shock when he did not see a dead body. Instead he saw the slender man dressed in pure white behind a Garganta as it began to close. He mockingly grinned and waved at the two shinigami.

"Aww so sorry to leave you Kuchiki-taicho, but it appears that I have been summoned back to Hueco Mundo. Bye-bye now." Had he been in his younger days, Byakuya would have used very colorful language to show how he felt right then. However, his maturity prevented him from doing so. He looked down at the woman who dangled from his arm. She had completely lost consciousness. He didn't quite know what had gotten into her earlier, but he had a good idea. The yellow hue that began to form over her cerulean eyes earlier gave him the biggest clue of the secret that Gin had been taunting her about.

He ran a hand through his hair and starred at the redness of his palm. The wound in the back of his head still bled profusely. He could feel himself becoming weaker by the moment. He secured Sayori in his arm before shunpoing through the woods towards the third district in the east Rukongai. He finally stopped when he reached the heart of the district. He collapsed with Sayori on the doorstep of a cottage that bore the crest of the Kuchiki clan on the door.

* * *

**A/N: Ohhh and the drama continues lol. Okay so Chapter Fourteen will have more revelations, but I'm sure you guys can kind of start to figure things out already lol. The next chapter will have RenjixSetsuna moments and an intense ByakuyaxSayori moment from the past. It will also feature important visits with two different Hidaka family members. Stay tuned I should update within a week or two. Thanks! :)**


	14. Trust Issues

**A/N: Once again, thank you for the reviews. We're getting closer and closer to the end. Only 6 chappies to go! Let's see what's going down in Chapter Fourteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

**50 years ago . . .**

It had been about four months since the funeral. The period of mourning ended. People stopped by less often. People sent fewer flowers. Desperate women began to make their moves. Things around the Kuchiki estate seemed to be returning to normal. Everyone living at the manor had begun the healing process; everyone except the one who ran the whole show. Nobody knew this more than Sayori.

It was July 31st, Sayori's birthday. Every year since she had become an adult, Sayori always threw a lavish party at her estate to celebrate. It was an extravaganza filled with dancing, music, fun, friends, and of course lots of booze. However this year, the young woman decided not to hold any festivities. She did not want a spotlight to be shown upon her this time. Instead, she wanted to spend a quiet afternoon alone with someone who was very dear to her. Someone who needed some fun more than she did.

Byakuya looked as if he had just awakened when he opened the door to his quarters and let the almost two hundred year old woman come inside. He looked drained and his skin lacked its usual glow. His hair was slightly messy and his eyes were red and dull. _Coming was probably a good idea. He looks awful. This is not like him. He's making me think that he may be getting depressed._

"Bya-kuuun! Guess what today is?" Sayori said with a bright smile and cheerful eyes. Byakuya slowly blinked his eyes and looked at her annoyed.

"Why should I guess, I already know." She sarcastically pouted.

"Geez thanks for playing along." She walked over to his bed. He followed, climbing under the covers as she sat on top. He closed his eyes.

"Playing games is a waste of time. Anyways, did you get the bracelets I sent you? Setsuna told me that you would like them."

"I did and I loved them. They were beautiful. Thank you."

"It's nothing. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend?" Sayori casually waved her hand.

"Oh I can see him later. I wanted to spend the day with you."

"If you're here out of pity, you can leave. I'm fine."

"But I come bearing treats." Sayori reached inside of her brand new, golden floral kimono which had been given to her by Bai-Lin. She pulled out two boxes. She put one in her lap and laid the other beside Byakuya. He opened one eye and looked at the small, red box.

"What is this?"

"Our birthday anpans. One for me and one for you. But you only get half of one because today is only your _half_ birthday."

"No thank you."

"Okay fine, I'll give you the full one and I'll take the half one."

"Thank you, but still no. You know I'm not a big fan of sweets."

"Nami-obaachan made them." This fact made Byakuya reconsider. Sayori's maternal grandmother, Nami Arai, was very renowned for her cooking. In fact, she made some of the best dishes that he had ever tasted. _It's a shame Sayori didn't inherit that gift. I don't know how she lives off her own cooking really . . ._

"Well . . . since Nami-sama was considerate enough to make them, it would be rude to refuse." He sat up and opened the box. Sure enough a large, half anpan was inside. The smell alone was enough to make a simple man eat it in one bite. However, Byakuya liked to think he conducted himself with more class.

Sayori watched him silently as they ate the sweet buns. She only hoped that the sugar would at least give him _some_ sort of energy. However, to her chagrin, it did nothing to his psyche. As soon as they were finished, he laid back down and closed his eyes. She dropped her shoulders in defeat. Nothing she had done lately seemed to cheer him up. Hisana had been part of his soul. How do you cheer someone up whose soul had been ripped in two?

Byakuya opened one eye again as he suddenly felt the covers rustle over him. He widely opened both when he saw what the woman was doing. "What are you doing?" Sayori looked at him deadpan as if he had asked the dumbest question in the world.

"I'm getting in with you," she replied in a 'duh' tone as she climbed under the covers.

"What?"

"Oh don't look so shocked. We used to do this all the time. You should be used to it by now. You know that I have no respect for your personal space." However it had been sometime since they shared a bed together. After he met Hisana and she became official with Zi, some of the more personal contact they shared ended. Although nothing scandalous ever occurred during their sleepovers, both friends felt that they should end them out of respect for their mates.

He slid over some to make room for her. He turned to his other side and stared out of his open door. The sun shined beautifully on his garden. The koi were lively and the blossoms glistened with beauty. Usually he would take a summer stroll to admire the beauty of the Kuchiki estate. However, under the circumstances . . .

"It's going to get easier, Byakuya." Sayori stared at the ceiling above her. "Just have faith. It's not over for you yet. You are a strong man and I know you can get through this." He looked over his shoulder before turning to face her. She turned to him and smiled softly. "Of course the pain will never go away . . . but it becomes a lot more bearable. I mean, look at Miu. She's a perfect example." It had been some years since Maikeru had been murdered. Byakuya remembered that time vividly. Never had he seen his best friend breakdown like she did when she learned of her brother's death. He had seen her shed tears over the deaths of her grandparents, her father and her uncle. However, when Maikeru died, it impacted her differently. They were so close that Byakuya honestly thought that Maikeru was her real best friend and not him. His death changed her. It broke her heart into pieces but it also matured her a great deal. She began to take things more seriously and began to greatly cherish life's little moments. It quelled her temper and she became more protective of her family. She especially became very protective over Setsuna. Sometimes in irrational ways.

"It . . . it wasn't supposed to be like this. She had already been through so much in Inuzuri. I thought . . . I thought I could save her."

"You did save her. You made her so happy. Everyone could tell how much you loved each other. She brought a light out in you. She loved you so much." He fought back tears. He absolutely hated to talk about his emotions, but Sayori just made it easy. She had known him for far too long.

"It should have been me."

"But then she would have been the heart broken one. It's a bad situation no matter what, Bya-kun. I know you feel . . . helpless and alone. But you're not. You were there for me when I needed you and I'll be here for you now. I know no one can fill that void in your heart, but I can at least try to keep you busy enough so it won't be as noticeable." She slid closer and wrapped her arms around him. It slightly caught him off guard, but he did not push her away. In fact, he was happy she had done it. He needed the embrace of his best friend. But he wasn't sure if it was her touch he craved or just a touch in general. The loneliness in his heart had become so climatic that he was willing to accept any kind of affection. The people at the manor were afraid to come into close contact with him, so they somewhat kept their distance. But Sayori was never afraid to invade his personal space. A trait that used to annoy him was now a blessing.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer. He held her tightly. He successfully fought back his tears although he didn't know where he found the strength. _Hisana . . . I love you . . . _

Sayoriburied her face in his neck and breathed softly. She could feel his pain. It made her sad but determined to make him smile. They laid there in silence, holding each other for a while. When he finally let go, he had a look in his eyes that was painful for her to see. She reached out and softly stroked his cheek, giving him a reassuring smile.

And then it happened.

Sayori saw him coming. She knew exactly what he was about to do. She knew it was so

wrong for both of them, but she couldn't help herself. Something just made her want to … taste

him. So when his lips made contact with hers, she deeply divulged in her desires.

The first kiss was sweet but short. His kisses were gentle and soft, as if he was trying his

best not to hurt her or to scare her away. When they separated, a pair of cerulean eyes showed

hesitation while a pair of grey ones showed need. He slowly lifted his hands and cupped her

soft, brown face. She licked her lips and lowered her gaze. "Byakuya . . . no. I . . . we

shouldn't." He didn't care about her protests. He yearned to feel the affection that she gave. Even if she wasn't the one he was in love with and even if he wasn't the one she was in love

with, he needed one night of passion. If only to forget his sorrows for a moment, that was all he

needed to get by.

He shook his head as he pulled her head in for another kiss. He moved one hand from

her head and slid it down her back. He wrapped his arm around her thigh and put it around his waist. At that very same time, he managed to ease his tongue in between her lips. Sayori

moaned softly as she, hesitantly, wrapped her arms around his neck. Her nipples hardened with

desire as she felt his arousal against her. She grinded against him softly which drew a

soft moan from him. _This is so wrong. Stop it before it goes too far. Byakuya is not in love with_

_you. You are with Zi, Sayori. Stop it. For kami sake, stop!_

Her mind and her body were at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. She knew

what the right thing was for her to do, but she just could not force herself to leave. She

wanted his touch, his kiss, his intimacy. After he married Hisana, she never thought she would

be able to experience it. How could she pass up this opportunity? It's not like Zi had never

cheated on her with others earlier in their relationship. What harm could one night do?

Her internal conflict was halted by the immense pleasure that shot through her when

Byakuya began to explore her body. Seductive kisses on her neck made her shudder and firm

caresses on her breasts made her weak. She held onto his simple, pale blue kosode tightly as he rolled her over on her back and laid on top of her. He spread her legs and made his place between them. He slowly grinded against her and made sure that she felt how much he needed her at that moment. Sayori moaned and arched her back, her partly exposed breasts rising and falling with each rapid breath. She watched intensely as he removed his kosode. Her desire heightened. _You know what's right. Think about how you felt_ _when you found out that Zi had slept with other women. Think about how you felt when you_ _heard what Yuka-obasan did to Aoki-ojisan. You can't do this, Sayori. Infidelity is not your_

_nature._

"Byakuyaaa," Sayori sighed as she ran her hand over his chest. She felt a few butterflies

when he reached out and fully opened her kimono. Her face heated even more as he gazed at her exposed chest.

"Such beauty," was all he said before he returned to kiss her. Such passion flowed

between them that it only fueled her desire to have him inside of her. He ran his hands up and down her thighs and she writhed beneath him with pleasure gasping and sighing and moaning. Desperately grabbing skin, gripping clothing, pulling hair, biting lips, they both knew that their union was imminent. It had been almost thirty years since their first and last kiss. She had mastered the art of subduing her feelings for him over the years. So much so that she was able to successfully perform her duties in his wedding without giving the slightest hint that she liked him. She had successful relationships in the past that lasted without them getting an idea that she was falling for another. After their first kiss, they agreed that a relationship would be a bad idea. Perhaps friends-with-benefits would be an even worse idea, but at that moment Sayori and Byakuya were willing to take that risk.

_Don't do this. You're only going to end up hurt. He wishes you were Hisana, you know_

_this. Don't lie to yourself. Don't betray your instincts. If not Zi, think about how Byakuya will_

_feel afterwards. You can't take advantage of your best friend like this. He does not need this_

_confusion right now. Stop._

"Byakuya . . . stop. Please." Byakuya moved his face from her neck and looked at her in

silence. He looked as if he wanted to beg to be satisfied. She looked away as covered her breasts with the kimono. She pushed him lightly and he sat up, allowing her to sit as well. She sighed deeply. "You are my very best friend and I love you, you know this right?"

"I am aware."

"We can't do this, Byakuya." He looked at his lap.

"I know. You're in a relationship and I still love my wife. I crossed the line, I

apologize." She reached out and touched his shoulder.

"No, don't. It's not your fault. We both just got wrapped up in emotions and should not

have let it get too far." He nodded his head. They looked at each other in silence for a while. They knew that lying there together was risky considering what had just happened, but neither wanted to leave the other's presence. They silently cuddled in bed for the rest of the afternoon until it was time for Sayori to leave to meet her boyfriend. Zi never asked where Sayori had been that day and she never told him. However, something inside of her told her that he knew. He asked her to marry him the next day.

* * *

Byakuya did not know if he could even move when he awoke from his earlier collapse.

He stared at the ceiling above and inhaled the pervasive scent of jasmine that lingered in the air.

He felt warm and relaxed. Too relaxed. "Why hello, Kuchiki-sama." Byakuya turned his head to the left and met the soft, brown gaze and friendly smile of a slender woman with wavy dark brown hair and glowing caramel brown skin. Beside her was a tiny young girl

with big hazel eyes, curly black pigtails and a similar complexion.

"M – Miu Hidaka. Tomoe."

"Mommy, how does he know my name?"

"Because he is an old friend of your father's and me. You don't remember Kuchiki-sama,

Baby?" The girl put a finger to her lips.

"Mmmmmmm . . . no."

"He's best friends with your Aunt Sayori."

"Ohhhhhh. Okay. Hi, Kuchiki-sama," the girl said with a huge smile and happy eyes. Byakuya nodded his head in reply.

"Baby, can you go play in the other room please? Mommy needs to concentrate." The little girl nodded before skipping out the room.

"She has grown since the last time I saw you two. She is going to be a beautiful woman." Miu humbly smiled.

"Well, thank you. Thanks to you, she'll have a chance to grow up in peace." Byakuya lifted his head from the futon he was lying on and stared down at Miu. She was currently performing healing kido on his injuries. He reached up and felt that his head wound had been bandaged. "Sayori told me you two had a run in with Gin Ichimaru. I had heard rumors that he, Kaname Tosen and Sosuke Aizen had betrayed the soul society."

"Yes, they did."

"I have to say I was very surprised when I found you two unconscious on my doorstep. I thought I was dreaming to be honest. It has been so long since I've seen either of you."

"Where is Sayori now?"

"She's in the other room resting. I healed her first since her spiritual pressure seemed worse." _That's right. Her spiritual pressure did go haywire. It became twisted and unsteady. That must be what Miu sensed. It was if she -_

"I have to say, I'm glad Yume-sama taught me her healing techniques. They've been very useful over the years." She gave him another warm smile. "Please rest and make yourself comfortable. I should be finished in a little while."

* * *

"What'cha doing?" Renji turned around as he heard the soft voice of the former Squad Thirteen fifth seat. He smiled.

"Oh, I'm just getting ready to head off to the world of the living for a quick mission. I should be leaving shortly." She nodded her head. She walked inside of his room and sat down on his bed where he was preparing for the trip. She stared quietly in the space in front of her. Renji stared down at her, uncomfortable in the silence. "What's the matter?"

"I honestly don't know what happened yesterday during that fight. Kageryuu. It's like I instinctively knew what to do with it when I saw Rukia in trouble. At that moment, it was like I could completely remember how to control my zanpakuto, but that feeling faded so fast that I don't know if it truly was me that remembered of if my zanpakuto spirit helped me. Renji pushed his gigai to the side and sat down beside the woman.

"When you train and when you fight, what do you see?" Setsuna shrugged.

"I see glimpses of my past but nothing ever makes sense. I see . . . me using kido and fist fighting . . . I see hollows and . . . I see images of Kyoraku-taicho for some odd reason." Renji laughed.

"That's probably because you used to visit Squad Eight a lot to see Arisu. He probably hit on you when you would go there." She chuckled softly.

"Well, I guess that makes sense then."

"Who else have you seen?"

"Well, I have seen an image of you before. We were sitting like this and talking. I've seen Arisu and Rukia-chan, Ukitake-taicho, Kiyone-chan and Sentaro-kun, Rangiku-chan, and Izuru-kun and Shuhei-kun. Each time I see them it is a happy scene because everyone is smiling. But the memories fade so fast that I can't determine what exactly is going on."

"So, you haven't seen Sayori or Kuchiki-taicho yet?" She shook her head.

"No. I can't remember anyone in my family at all. The people who I see in my memories are the people I have already met since I've come back. Nobody I have seen looks like they could be related." He lifted a brow._ That is weird. You'd think she would at least see Sayori. I wonder why that is. _He tilted his head toward the sky in thought.

"Well . . . I take that back. There is one person I have seen that I haven't met yet." Renji turned to her.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm, but I still don't think I'm related to him. He definitely looks nothing like me. I don't know his name and I don't think anyone has talked about him yet, but I've seen him at least twice. He's kind of tall and has a skin color kind of like yours. He has long black hair and . . . brown eyes? Yea, I think they are brown. He has like a goatee and when he smiles, he smiles crookedly. He also has a scar on his face." Renji sat quietly and thought for a moment. He rummaged the back of his mind to see if he knew anyone who matched the description of the man she had seen. However, no one stood out.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that I know who you are talking about." Setsuna's shoulders dropped.

"Oh. Okay then."

"Maybe you should ask Sayori when she and Kuchiki-taicho come back. She more than likely knows." She smiled softly.

"Okay, I will." He jumped to his feet.

"Good. They should both be back here in the Seireitei by the time we come back from the world of the living." Her eyes widened.

"We? What do you mean, "we"?" He chuckled.

"Before the attack on the Seireitei yesterday, I asked Kuchiki-taicho if it was okay if I brought you along on my mission to Sapporo. Unohana-taicho told me that people with amnesia can sometimes have their memories return if they hang around familiar places. Since that is the place where Sayori sealed you away, I thought it might help jog your memories if I brought you there. Then after we returned, I was going to take you to the Hidaka estate to see if that helped. I figured that since being around here helped you remember some glimpses of your past, these places might help too." He reached underneath his bed and pulled out a human body and set it down beside his. "See, I've even have a gigai for you." Setsuna reached out and stroked the silky black hair of the gigai.

"I don't know."

"Aww come on, it'll be fun. My mission should only take an hour tops and then afterward we can just hang out. We could both use this little vacation if you ask me. I mean, it couldn't hurt." Setsuna thought about it for a moment. She maybe he had a point. Maybe if she did retrace her steps she could find some clues about her past. She wouldn't know if she didn't try.

"Alright, I'll come with you." Renji smiled widely.

"Excellent. You should probably go get ready. We're scheduled to leave in a little while." She nodded her head. She grabbed her gigai and headed back to her room.

* * *

"I am so glad to see that you grew this pretty hair back out. I seriously hated that bob style you used to wear. I actually almost punched you in the face when you cut it," Miu said as she stroked Sayori's blue locks. The younger woman chuckled.

"Yea I decided to grow it back after Zi and I got married. He told me that he thought that women with long hair were sexier." Miu rolled her eyes.

"Ugh that creep. I hated when you married him. I mugged him during the whole ceremony." Sayori laughed.

"Everyone I know has something bad to say about Zi, it's so crazy."

"No imouto-chan, _you_ were the crazy one for marrying him. I remember Mai-shujin almost had a heart attack when he found out. What in the hell did you see in him anyway? What happened with you two?" Sayori smiled and looked toward the sky.

"Oh Miu, I was young and naive back then. I had always had the biggest crush on him since I met him back at Yoruichi's when I was like 120 or 130. He was so handsome and so charming. He had this mystique about him that intrigued me. But because he was a little older, he didn't really spend a lot of time with me back then. When I got accepted into Shino Academy, he lived in the same barracks as I did. We got really close my sophomore year. We spend a lot of time studying and just hanging out. The night before his graduation, he told me that he was going to marry me one day. I knew that at the time he was joking, but part of me wanted it to be true. I liked him that much."

"So after I graduated we began to date off and on. I fell in love with him and lost my virginity to him and everything. I wanted a relationship so bad but he didn't want to settle down. So we did that song and dance for some years until he finally decided that he needed to mature. So around the time Byakuya started to date Hisana, we became official. He asked me to marry him some years after but I knew that he was still being unfaithful. I refused to marry him until he made a change. It took years, but he finally got it together. But since nii-chan was murdered and I was made clan leader, I had to put everything on hold again. He wasn't too happy about it, but he didn't make a fuss since I had been so patient with his bullshit."

"Oh and what bullshit it was," Miu said with a smirk. Sayori chuckled.

"Ohhh you don't even know the half nee-chan. After a while, he began to get impatient. He wanted me to marry him, resign as clan leader and join his clan. He also wanted me to quit the Gotei 13. I didn't want to lose him so I did what he asked even if it wasn't what I wanted. I loved him so much."

"I didn't know that's why you resigned. I just thought that you had gotten tired of all the pressure and decided to take a break."

"Oh no I loved both of my jobs even though they were very stressful. I only stopped because of my love for Zi. This is why it tore my heart in two when we divorced five years later."

"Wait a minute, you two divorced? You still keep his name? I thought that he went with you when you were exiled." Sayori chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"It's so crazy that I finally see what everyone else saw all of those years ago. He told me that he wanted a divorce because he could not be associated with a cold-blooded killer. He said it would hurt his image. I have not heard from him since. Last I heard he was dating some ditsy, big boobed courtesan. Sounds like him. I was going to go back to my maiden name, but Yoruichi told me I should keep it. She said I had worked too hard for it and it rightfully belonged to me."

"I always did like that girl." Sayori laughed before taking a big sip of sake.

"Yes, she is definitely something else."

"Although I wish it had happened differently, I can't lie, I'm so glad that you and Zi aren't together anymore. I really don't know how you put up with him for so long. You could have done so much better. I always pictured you with someone else anyway."

"Oh really? Who is that?"

"Come on, do you really need to ask that question? You know who." Sayori shook her head.

"Nee-chan, don't. Please." Miu smiled as she grabbed Sayori's empty sake cup and sat it down beside hers. She gave it a refill.

"I was rooting for you two to be together all these years you know that right?"

"Yeah, well some things are just not meant to be."

"They probably are but it's just that stubbornness tends to get in the way. And if there are two people in the world that know something about stubbornness, it is definitely you two. I mean how can I not want you two together. You guys are so close. Even after all of these years, you guys are still best friends. That's very cute."

"Well, things are not exactly what they appear. Byakuya and I haven't seen each other for almost thirty years. We haven't spoken for twenty five. He's not too fond of me right now and neither am I with him."

"That was supposed to be your man."

"He loved Hisana. He still loves her. I fell in love with Zi."

"Only because you gave each other the opportunity to meet them. If you had gotten together, they would have been a non-factor."

"It wouldn't have worked nee-chan. Look at who we each married. He married the complete opposite of me and I married the complete opposite of him. Our marriage would have never worked. I mean, look where we are today."

"I know you still love him. You can try to deny it and hide it all you'd like, but when he was unconscious and hurt, I could see it in your eyes. Imouto-chan, please don't lie to yourself. Don't miss out on another opportunity just because you're stubborn or afraid."

"It's not like it used to be. We're . . . we're different people now."

"That somehow still hang around each other."

"It's not by my choice! I have to stay to look out for Setsuna and so they can finish the re-investigation of Kazumi's murder."

"Oh Sayori, please co – ". The young women were silenced by the sound of footsteps entering the room. They looked over to see that Byakuya had come to join them. He looked livelier than he had been earlier. However, one could see that he was still not fully recovered. Miu smiled warmly.

"Hello, Byakuya-sama. Did my daughter finally leave you alone?" Since the time Byakuya awoke, Tomoe had been attempting to play in his hair. At first he tried to push her away but when she refused to take her attentions elsewhere, he gave in. She spent the rest of the evening playing hair salon until she finally went to sleep. He nodded his head as he went to sit down beside Miu.

"Yes, she's asleep. I figured you would not want her to rest in the main room so I carried her to her own."

"Aww, thank you. You're so kind."

"It's nothing." Miu offered him a drink to which he declined. The three sat in an awkward silence for a few moments. Sayori wondered how much he had heard and Byakuya wondered how much he had missed. He became a part of the conversation when he heard Sayori say that their marriage would not have worked. The way she sounded, it was as if she had thought about a marriage with him in the past. Surely she didn't have feelings for him?

"You two should rest here for the evening," Miu said after a while. "You both look better but your spiritual pressure is not where it needs to be if you are going to fight against Aizen and the boys. If you rest here tonight, I will be able to fully restore it."

"Thank you," Byakuya said and Sayori nodded her head. Miu turned to her sister.

"That reminds me Sayori. You said something earlier that I need to ask you about." Sayori's breath hitched. She sincerely hoped that the brown-eyed woman was not about to continue their earlier conversation about Byakuya.

"W-What is it?" she reluctantly asked.

* * *

Renji's hollow mission ended as quickly as he expected. It hadn't been a good forty minutes since the duo arrived to Sapporo when he extinguished the four menos that had been terrorizing the souls there. After he and Setsuna sent them to the Soul Society, they put on their gigais and decided to visit a local bakery.

"I've heard that real world taiyaki is the best," the tall man said with excitement as the two looked over the menu at a booth by a large window. Setsuna smiled.

"It is pretty good. I used to buy from here sometimes. They make it well. I love their anpan and mochi. I haven't had anpan in ages."

"Yeah, I remember how much you used to love anpan back in the Soul Society. You ate it about as often as I ate taiyaki." Setsuna chuckled.

"I'm glad to see that part of me didn't change. I used to make my own when I used to live here. I'd try a lot of different combinations but red-bean paste always was my favorite. I used to make the crust different too. Nami-obaachan taught me a way to make it really flaky. It was the best."

"Nami-obaachan? Is that the name of one of your guardians from the world of the living?" She shook her head.

"No, she was my other grandmother. Nami Arai from the Arai clan. You know, my mother's mother. I'm surprised that you don't remember her." Renji's eyes instantly widened. It took a moment for Setsuna to realize what she had just said. Her mouth dropped a little and a smile appeared on her face. "Oh my gosh . . . I can remember her. She was really beautiful and . . . short. I can remember Reiki-ojiisan too. He had light brown skin, long blue hair and hazel eyes like my mother. Kaa-san . . . my family's blue hair comes from the Arai clan. Renji! I remember my mother!" A smile appeared on his face as well.

"This is amazing. What else can you remember, Setsu?" She paused for a moment. Renji could tell on her face that she was in deep thought.

"I . . . I think I can only remember my mother's side of the family. Nobody else is coming to memory. I still can't remember Sayori-chan or Cho-sama." Renji jumped out of the booth and grabbed Setsuna by her hand. He pulled her up and drug her out of the bakery.

"It's a start. Come on and let's see if we can jog it some more."

"W-wait Renji, what about our food?"

"We can order later. We have to return to the Seireitei tomorrow morning. We don't have time to waste, so let's go. Take me everywhere that you used to go."

The two ran up and down the streets of Sapporo, visiting every frequent place that Setsuna visited. Every stop they made was to no avail. Setsuna could only still remember a fraction of her history. She could remember her mother, her maternal grandparents, her mother's brother and his wife and their children, but she could remember no one from her father's side of the family. She also could not remember a name for the man with the scar. After hours without success and dwindling funds, Renji finally suggested that they visit the place where Setsuna remembered first coming to Sapporo. She took him to a slum just outside of the city.

The two walked down a narrow alleyway that led to a very small neighborhood of just seven houses. The neighborhood was completely deserted and the houses were run down. They were covered in moss, windows were shattered, and doors were broken into. She pointed to the smallest and most damaged home. "This is the first place I remember being. One day I awoke not knowing who I was or how I got here. I was barefoot and wore only a plain, white kimono. I knew nothing of my past. My charm bracelet was the only clue I had that I was loved. The stitching on the collar of my kimono told me that my name was Setsuna. This neighborhood is in a section of the city known as Hoyama. I made that my last name. Other than this, I knew nothing." She walked inside of the single level, small home. Renji followed, feeling a surprising amount of spiritual pressure from a place that had no souls.

The inside was just as damaged as the outside. Dust covered the torn furniture and the marked floors. Paint was stripping from the walls and the home smelled of old water. _Did Sayori take her here? Why would she put her in such a place? This is terrible._

He quietly followed Setsuna into the back rooms where she entered a large bedroom. As she opened the door, the lieutenant's eyes widened. The bedroom was unlike the rest of the home. The small room that housed only a single bed was in excellent condition. It was clean. The walls were pure white; the windows looked as if they had just been washed and the air smelled crisp and clean. However, what stood out the most to him was that there was a high concentration of spiritual energy in the room. It was strong, but not overwhelming. In fact it felt . . . pure. Yet again, he saw no souls. Setsuna had still not said a word since they came inside. She slowly walked over to the bed which was fully made. She rubbed her hands on the white cover before lying down and looking towards the roof.

"She brought me here that night." Renji walked over and stood over the girl.

"Who did?"

"Nee-chan. The entire Gotei 13 was out for her that night. She took me to . . . Miu nee-chan's old home in Jakura to hide. She told me that I was in danger, but she never told me why. She also never told me why the captains were looking for her. All she told me was that I needed to stay there until she came back. When she did come back, she had a dead look in her eyes. We went through a senkaimon that had been set up for us. We came here and she took me to this house. She took me to this room. She told me to lay here for a while and she would come back. I asked her when . . . then . . . she started to cry. I knew something bad was happening because nee-chan never kept a secret from me and the only times I saw nee-chan cry was when someone died."

* * *

"When we were talking earlier and you were talking about you stepped down as clan leader, I wanted to ask you this then." Sayori cocked a brow.

"I'm listening."

"I wanted to ask you . . . why did you choose Cho as your successor?"

"I did it because at the time, Setsuna was not mature enough to lead. I had to pick someone else to be the interim leader until she was ready. So I thought that Cho was the most obvious choice. She was Aoki-ojisan's only child and since the title was originally supposed to go to him and his line, I thought it was only right to make her my successor." Miu nodded her head.

"I see." Sayori smirked.

"Why do you ask? Did you want to be leader or something?" Miu smirked as well.

"Oh no, it's not that. It's just . . . well . . . to be completely honest . . . I never really trusted Cho." Sayori's eyes widened. The conversation had peaked Byakuya's interest as well. He turned to both women, giving them his full attention.

"What do you mean?" Sayori asked. "Why don't you trust her?"

"Well, I shouldn't say that I _never_ trusted her. She used to be the sweetest little thing and I used to have a lot of trust for her a long time ago. But after we found out about Yuka-obasan's affair, something in her changed. I can't quite explain it but it's like she got . . . distant."

"She probably was just burdened that her mother had been cheating on her father for so long."

"It's not just that, imouto-chan. It's everything that happened with it; the affair, Aoki-ojisan's death, Yuka-obasan's love child, her exile and her marriage to her lover. I think all of it had a bad effect on Cho. I think it corrupted her. I think all of it caused Cho to have some kind of resentment on life." Sayori chuckled.

"I think you're exaggerating. Cho may have been a little cold then, but she's not like that now. She wasn't like that when I made her leader. In fact, she declined at first because she was that nervous."

"Miu does make sense," Byakuya agreed. "I noticed Cho's change in behavior too. She's not how she used to be. She is colder. She's acts in a manner akin to what her step-father used to be like. Friendly enough to seem approachable but there's always this barrier to keep you at arm's length. You never truly know what they're thinking." Sayori rolled her eyes.

"You keep your guard up too, Byakuya. How can you say that?"

"You always know my intentions. You know that my pride is the most important thing to me. Cho's intentions are never clear, therefore it is different."

"You guys are nuts."

"You're making the same mistake you did in the past, imouto-chan. You love people so much that you struggle to see what others easily see. I know that you and Cho used to be very close, but please look at it objectively."

"Cho is always trying to please the people she loves. Cho is not cold. I refuse to believe that." Byakuya sighed and closed his eyes.

"Sayori, if there is anything I learned from Sosuke Aizen, it would be this: the ones with the biggest smiles are usually the ones with the biggest knife. Things are not always what they seem. Do not be so blind to the truth."

Sayori sat deep in thought. _Why are they telling me this? Cho isn't different. Cho has always been a sweetheart. When Aunt Yuka married Hanichi, she hated it. Cho hated her step father, so why would she act like him? No, they've got this all wrong._

* * *

"I remember that night clearly now, Renji. I lost everything that night. Nee-chan lied to me. She said she would come back, but instead she sealed me away." Setsuna sat up and stared angrily at the space in front of her. "She says she did it to protect me but I think she did it to protect herself. I must have known something about Kazumi Ito's murder that she didn't want to be told." Renji sat down on the bed and stared at her with concerned eyes. Tears were about to form in her eyes.

"She ruined my life. She ruined my life! Renji, I can remember everything. My parents, my brother, my friends. I remember the Hidaka estate. I remember Cho. I remember spending time at Ugendo with Ukitake-taicho. I remember going to parties with you and Arisu. I remember everything! She took that from me! She tried to make me go away! She tried to make me forget who I was and she never told me why she did it!" Tears were streaming down the girl's face and her body shook with anger. Renji wrapped an arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. "How could she do that, Renji? She should have told me the truth. She shouldn't have lied to me and said she was going to come back when she knew she never would. I can't trust her, Renji. I can't. I don't want to train with her anymore. I'm done!"

* * *

"I hear everything that you guys are saying, but I just refuse to believe that Cho isn't trustworthy. That girl tries too hard to please others to be sneaky." Miu sighed and shook her head. She yawned and stretched.

"Alright, Sayo. I'm too tired to have this conversation anymore. I'm going to leave it alone. I'ma go get some sleep now." She stood and stretched again. She stared at her younger sister with pleading eyes. "Just try to see it unbiased, imouto-chan. I know you love Cho and everything but you need to be objective. If you do, I think you'll see, like the rest of us, that she never was the same after her mother married Hanichi Ito."

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh. Some real trust issues are going on. Next chapter will be part one of the night Sayori got arrested and took Setsuna to the world of the living. You'll get a first hand look at what really happened. It should be up within a week or two so please be patient :). Thanks for reading :D**


	15. Murder was the Case

_**A/N: Thank you very much Deuces,Yuuki and Anon for the reviews. I appreciate all your support :D. I also appreciate everyone else's support :). Okay so this story may be longer than I anticipated. I said it was only 6 chapters left but it may be eight now lol. So to start things off, we have part one of the night Sayori murdered Kazumi Ito and kidnappped Setsuna. Let's see how things really went.**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters except for people in the Hidaka, Chang, Arai, and Ito clans, Arisu Mochizuki and Zi Shihoin.**_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

**25 years ago . . .**

"Oh my goodness, I absolutely love this kimono!" Bai-Lin Chang said as she lifted the new peach kimono that had been lying across Sayori's bed. She gently touched the soft material, admiring its beauty. "Did Zi buy this for you?" Sayori smiled from ear to ear.

"Yes. He said that he wanted to buy something special for Setsuna's ceremony next week. He bought Setsuna a similar one, but it's coral and has a different pattering."

"That is so sweet," Sayori's younger cousin, Li-Hua Chang said appreciating the luxurious garment as well. "Gee, now I have to see if mommy and daddy will buy me a new kimono. I can't come to the ceremony looking any less than you two. I'll be the joke of the family."

"There you go again over reacting," Izumi Chang, the middle sister, said as she flipped through the latest edition of _Seireitei Communication_. "This celebration isn't about you. It's about Setsuna. Get over yourself." Li-Hua narrowed her large brown eyes at the cerulean eyed brunette.

"Oh shut up, Izumi. You're just jealous. You wish you could look half as good as I do. Nyaaa." She put her hands on her hips and childishly stuck out her tongue. Izumi defiantly laughed and continued to read the magazine.

"Please, why would I be jealous of an attention whore who still depends on mom and dad for a living? I'm jealous of you? I think not."

"I'm not an attention whore, neglected middle child!"

"Hey, hey, hey? What's wrong with being the middle child?" Sayori joked, trying to calm the agitated atmosphere that was growing between the constantly bickering sisters.

"You just dyed your hair platinum blonde the other day. That bright hair combined with your dark tan skin just screams attention whore. I don't have to do things like that to make people notice me."

"Oh you think you're so great because you got accepted into the Gotei 13. So what? You're in Squad Eleven. I don't know why you'd want to be associated with a bunch of brutes but it serves you right. You're not _glamorous_ enough to be a real lady anyways." Izumi set down the magazine and rose from her seat. She rounded the bed and stood mere inches away from the shorter girl.

"Kisama, there's a reason why they picked me. Don't make me have to show you."

"Idiot, you only joined because you have a crush on Renji. How can you like your cousin's boyfriend? Shameless."

"Baka, they aren't together. Besides I don't like Renji and I joined because I earned it. Unlike you who couldn't even graduate."

"I chose not to graduate and it's good that you don't like Renji. You wouldn't stand a chance against Suna-chan anyways. Beauty always wins over brawn."

"You little bitch!"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Chill out already!" Bai-Lin demanded as she stepped in between her younger siblings. She harshly stared at both. "This little rivalry you two nuts have needs to stop. We are family! And when you act like that, it embarrasses your entire family. You don't see Sayo-chan and Suna-chan acting that way. Mom didn't act like that with Aoki-ojisan and Yoshi-ojisan. So you two need to stop being little bitches and get your acts together!" Sayori silently whistled as she saw her usually sweetheart cousin channel her inner drill sergeant. _Nicely played Bai-chan. Nicely played indeed._

Li-Hua and Izumi reluctantly apologized to each other and returned to their previous activities. Sayori snickered as Bai-Lin came over to sit beside her with an annoyed look in her blue eyes. This tension was nothing new. Izumi and Li-Hua had been at each other's throats for years. Nobody knew exactly what caused the rivalry. They were very close as children. However after Li-Hua dropped out of Shino Academy and Izumi joined the ranks with Squad Eleven, the dynamics of their relationship changed.

"They are something else," Sayori said, examining her nails. Bai-Lin scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Be thankful you don't have to live with them." Sayori chuckled.

An unexpected visitor knocked on Sayori's door. Without waiting for her permission to enter, a Hidaka clan retainer slid open the shoji screen and hurried inside. All eyes in the room shifted to the young male. "I apologize for interrupting, Sayori-sama. However, this is very urgent," he said with a anxious tone. The fifteenth head of the Hidaka Clan lifted two brows.

"What is the matter?"

"I believe that it is best if we speak alone about the situation."

"Alright. I'll be back in a bit, ladies." Sayori led the man out of her chamber's back door into her own personal garden. She walked a distance from the estate and stood underneath a large cherry tree that she and Byakuya had planted when they were younger. At the time, they named it Chappy Watanabe. "Now, what is so urgent that it calls my attention so late?"

"This, Sayori-sama." He reached inside of his kosode and removed a tiny stack of papers. He gave Sayori the documents with a look of chagrin on his face. As she read over them, her face began to contort into the same disturbed face as the messenger.

"Where did you get these?"

"An anonymous source gave them to one of the guards. They don't know exactly who it was because their face was covered. All they know is that it was someone for the Gotei 13 since they were wearing a shihakusho."

"I can't believe this. I have spent months negotiating peace with Kazumi-sama. To think that all of this time, she has been planning to kill my sister. This is absolutely ridiculous."

"According to the papers, the assassination attempt is supposed to happen the night of the transition ceremony. It appears that she was going to order one of her subordinates to take her out."

"Why is Setsuna her target? Why not go after me or Cho?"

"My theory is that it is because you are of no threat since you are about to be adopted into the Shihoin clan and since Cho's step-father is from the Ito clan, it would be against their honor code to attack her. Therefore, Setsuna is the most logical choice." Sayori stared blankly at the space in front of her and leaned against the cherry tree. She slowly sunk to the ground.

"I really trusted Kazumi-sama. I believed in her. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted peace. Our clans have been fighting for centuries. We both agreed that it was time for an end to the hatred. We were going to do our jobs and serve the Kuchiki clan in complete harmony. Everything was going so well when we announced the treaty before I resigned. Now it turns out that it was all a lie? Kazumi-sama has been planning an assassination the whole time?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sayori-sama. We all believed in Kazumi-sama. We believed that the fighting between our clans would stop. You're not the only one who was fooled."

"Do the elders or Cho know of this yet?" The retainer shook his head.

"No they do not. The anonymous source who gave these documents to the guards said that they were for your eyes only. After verifying the authenticity, I brought them straight to you." Sayori nodded her head. She folded the papers and placed them inside of her kimono.

"Well, let's just keep this information a secret for now. There is no need to cause more stress on Cho or Setsuna. I will take care of the situation."

* * *

"Squad Six office."

"Byakuya!" The Squad Six captain's eyes widened when he heard the smooth, alto voice on the other end of the receiver. It was a voice that he had not heard in some months.

"Sayori?"

"Yes. I hope you're not busy because I really need your help." Byakuya held the phone away from his ear and looked at it in disbelief. Although they talked on the phone from time to time, five years had passed since he last seen his best friend. She had unexpectedly attempted to retire five years ago to become a housewife to Zi. However since the Gotei 13 does not allow people to resign their posts, she was put on leave until Byakuya could find a replacement. He never began a search for her successor. He believed Sayori would quickly tire of the mundane routine of a housewife and would come back to her position after about a month. When she didn't return after the fifth year, he took her seriously. He considered persuading her when he would see her at Setsuna's ceremony. He didn't expect this call.

"You need my help? Why?"

"The Ito clan is being an ass again. Kazumi-sama is plotting to have Setsuna killed." Byakuya's eyes widened.

"Kazumi Ito? Surely you are mistaken. Outside of Ukitake-senpai, that woman is the most peace loving captain in the Seireitei. There is no way she would try to kill Setsuna."

"That's what I used to think too, but I have her plans all mapped out in black and white. They are very elaborate and thorough if I do say so myself."

"I still find it hard to fathom."

"It's true, Byakuya! I have the proof in my hands. I'm calling you to ask for your help. I can't tell Cho and the elders because they will probably start a war. I can't tell Setsuna because it will scare the hell out of her. So I'm asking you, as head of the Kuchiki clan, to intervene. Surely Kazumi-sama will listen to you."

"I will most certainly not." Sayori stared at her receiver with shock. She narrowed her eyes before shoving it back against her ear.

"What do you mean? Why won't you?"

"I have grown tired of this silly feud between your clans. How can a disagreement that started over land last for this many centuries? It's downright foolish. Do you know how many times I have heard death threats from both of your clans? None of them have been credible. This is no exception."

"How can you say that after Maikeru was murdered? All threats should be taken seriously."

"I highly doubt that it was someone from the Ito clan who murdered him, Sayori. The spiritual pressure that surrounded him resembled a hollow, not a normal soul."

"Byakuya, please just look into it. I beg you."

"My answer is final. I will not involve my clan in your petty squabble any further. As clan leader, I thought you would have handled this appropriately under your regime."

"I did! You know that little treaty we signed? Yea, that was me!"

"Excellent. Then that means that you know how to handle this situation on your own. Do not call me again with something so trivial."

Sayori stared at her receiver stunned as the dial tone sounded. She could not believe that he rejected to help her. _After all we've been through, he's going to treat me like that? I have never asked his clan to settle anything before tonight. He is such an asshole sometimes. Whatever, I will handle this thing my damn self!_

* * *

It was like she had just clocked in for a regular shift when Sayori walked through the Gotei 13 properties, on her way to Squad Ten's barracks. Many ranked and unranked shinigami stopped and waved, making sure to say hello to the respectable Squad Six lieutenant. Sayori maintained her friendly composure and returned the greetings, not giving any sign that she was a woman on a mission. She did not know how this situation would turn out. She hoped for the best. However, she could only imagine how hostile this impending meeting would become.

When she finally arrived at the Squad Ten office, Sayori respectfully knocked on the door. She could hear rustling and murmuring from the other side. Finally, she heard a sweet voice tell her to come inside. The well-endowed, slender, olive skinned captain with charming brown eyes and long chestnut brown hair greeted her comrade with an inviting smile.

"Sayori-sama. What a surprise. Do come in." Sayori nodded her head as she obliged her senior and walked inside the room. Kazumi pointed to a chair across from her desk as she walked back over to it. Sayori sat and watched as the seventeen year captain rummaged around a messy stack of papers on top. "Pardon the mess. I seem to have misplaced an important set of documents. I have been looking for them all day." _This woman has some nerve. I can't believe that I ever trusted her._

"Oh? That's not good. I hope you find them soon," Sayori said, feigning support. Kazumi nervously chuckled.

"Thank you. I do too. Those papers are very detrimental to my future." The younger woman cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"Well . . . they are plans for an upcoming mission that I am supposed to lead. It's classified so I can't provide details." Sayori faked a chuckle.

"I'm sure it is. Don't worry; you don't have to tell me."

"Yes. So what brings you by, Sayori-sama?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just wandering around the Seireitei after hanging out with Byakuya and I thought I'd just pay my old colleagues a visit," she lied. Kazumi smiled.

"Aw that's very sweet of you. You know we really miss you being here. You always kept people laughing. You should come back to the force."

"Well, I don't think now is the best time. I may consider it in a year or so, but not right now."

"Oh? Well, take all the time you need. I've heard that Kuchiki-taicho has not conducted any interviews for your position so you should be fine." Sayori faked another smile and nodded her head. She couldn't believe how treacherous Kazumi really was. She had the whole Seireitei fooled. How could a woman this kind be so cold and so calculated? There was no way in hell that she was going to let that woman get a hold of her sister.

"Kazumi, you can stop the act now," the mahogany woman said in a cold voice. Kazumi looked up from her desk and gave the thicker woman a dumbfounded look.

"Act?"

"You know what act I'm talking about."

"Um . . . no, I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb!" Sayori yelled, her anger beginning to show. Kazumi was taken aback by the woman's sudden change in demeanor.

"S-Sayori. What is the matter with you?"

"These so-called papers about this fake-ass mission are the matter. Stop telling lies; I know what you're really after. I know you're trying to kill Setsuna." Kazumi's eyebrows furrowed and her mouth dropped.

"What?!"

"You heard exactly what I fucking said. You are trying to kill my sister!"

"I am not! I have done no such thing, how dare you!"

"Oh cut the innocent bullshit Kazumi! I have all the proof I need right here!" Sayori reached inside of her kimono and slammed the stack of papers on the table. The brunette picked them up and shuffled through them. Written on the pages was an intricate murder plot that had been mapped out to the narrowest detail. They all appeared to be in her handwriting. Kazumi starred at the papers in complete shock.

"Sayori, I – I don't know who gave these to you, but these aren't mine. I am not a part of this scheme."

"Bullshit! It's in your writing right there on the page." Sayori slid forward and slammed her fingers on the papers for emphasis. "You think that I don't know your handwriting after all that time we spent crafting that agreement? You seriously think I wouldn't notice! You have to be the dumbest bitch in the world!"

"Now you look here, Sayori Shihoin. You better cool your ass down. You are in my office and I will not stand for your insolence. I told you I had nothing to do with this. Why would I want to have your sister killed?! It makes no sense!"

"I don't know why you would do it. You should tell me. I don't quite know how to think like a traitor." Kazumi Ito fell silent. Sayori shook with anger but waited for an explanation as she stared at the beautiful captain. She felt so hurt and so angry that the woman she had admired and called friend turned out to be her greatest enemy. Kazumi stared at the documents on her desk intensely. After a while, she lifted her head to meet the younger woman's gaze. Sayori's breath hitched seeing the malicious glint in her eyes. The smile that slowly spread across her face was just as devious.

"Alright. You got me." Sayori angrily bit her lower lip. She bore down so hard that she almost broke the skin.

"You evil bitch."

"Oh don't take it so personally, Sayori. It's only business. I'm only carrying out the wishes of my predecessors. I never really intended to consent to that silly little treaty of yours. It was only a means to throw you off the scent." She rose from her seat and rounded her desk. She menacingly hovered over Sayori. "The flaw of my predecessors was that they were too obvious about their hatred for your clan. I knew that the best way to undermine your clan's power was to get inside of it. I knew that I had to get close to you. I had to earn your trust so you'd suspect nothing. It was very clever of me if I do say so myself." Sayori slid her chair backwards and stood to meet her gaze.

"How dare you come after the life of my sister just to further your clan's power. The depths of your corruption make me sick." The other woman laughed.

"Don't be so dramatic, sweetie," she mocked, reaching out to stroke her silky blue locks. "It's not like it's the first sibling you had to die." Sayori's blue eyes widened. Her heart rate quickened substantially.

"You murdered my brother?"

"No, your brother's death was at the hands of someone else. Someone very close to you, as a matter of fact. It's such a shame. He was a sexy man. It almost brought me to tears to see how badly he had been cut up. I never knew so much blood could be produced by the shinigami body." A cataclysmic amount of rage went through Sayori at that instant. She grabbed Kazumi by both sides of her captain's haori. Releasing one side, she pointed a finger at the middle of her chest.

"Hado four: Byakurai!" The blast of high spiritual pressure would have been enough to easily kill a low ranking shinigami. However, before the kido took its full effect, Kazumi shunpoed away. She panted as she put a hand over the minor burn. She grinned.

"You'll have to do better than that, little girl." The captain withdrew her zanpakuto from its sheath. Quickly reacting, Sayori withdrew the hairpin holding some of her hair and transformed it into her zanpakuto. "Well, well. You've learned how to conceal your zanpakuto. I'm impressed a lieutenant has the ability to do that."

"Don't underestimate me or you'll end up dead!" Sayori charged at Kazumi and swung Tejinashi downwards, aiming for her chest. Kazumi effortlessly blocked it and pushed her backwards. Instantly, Sayori swung again and was blocked once more. "I can't believe I ever trusted you!"

"I never asked you to. It was your own stupidity that blinded you from the truth. You shouldn't make that a habit, Sayori." The mocking smirk on Kazumi's face made Sayori boil even more. She had had enough from this woman. The two continued to clash their zanpakutos in their sealed states. Neither wanted to be the first to release their shikai as it would, without a doubt, create more noise than they intended. Sayori wanted to hurry and end the fight before anyone came to end it. When Kazumi failed to block one an attack, she seized the opportunity and ran her blade right through the woman's stomach. Kazumi instantly froze and dropped her katana. Her eyes enlarged and blood seeped from her mouth. Her body shook and she gasped repeatedly as she looked down at the cold metal that now protruded from her body. She fell to her knees as Sayori withdrew the sword. She stared down at her with remorseless eyes. Kazumi fell on her side as the blood steadily oozed. She stared up at her with hurt eyes. Her demeanor had completely changed. She transformed back into the sweet woman that Sayori had always known.

"S- Sa . . . yori-sama. W – Why?" Sayori was about to reply but was silenced by the rapid footsteps approaching the office.

"Captain! We heard – ". The three shinigami that had just entered their boss's office froze as they saw the scene in front of them. Their captain had taken her last breath literally a second before they entered. Sayori hovered over her body covered in blood. Her eyes told the story. One of the officers drew his zanpakuto.

"Sayori Shihoin, you are hereby under arrest for the murder of Ka –"

"Bakudo 21: Sekienton!" A huge cloud of red smoke engulfed the office and blinded the shinigami. As they coughed and struggled to breath, Sayori effortlessly cut down all three. Although she did not kill them, she wounded them enough to immobilize them. She was able to make it out of the Squad Ten barracks and hurried toward the western gate of the Seireitei before the sirens began to blare.

* * *

Almost two full days had passed since Sosuke Aizen's attack on the Seireitei. Upon return, Byakuya was pleased to see that Arisu had kept everything running smoothly during his and Renji's absence. His subordinates greeted him with smiles and expressions of happiness that he had returned alive and well. It was a scene that any captain would be pleased to see. However, a pressing issue was weighing on Byakuya's mind. He did not bring up the subject when she and he were walking back from the Rukongai; however he did feel the need to ask her now as they walked toward Squad One for a mandatory captain's meeting.

"Sayori, I need to ask you a question." Pausing, she turned to look at the man. Her heart-rate quickened. _Oh no. Please don't ask me about what Miu and I were talking about last night. Please don't let that be it._

"What is it?" He firmly stared at her and stepped forward. There was no proper way to ease into the question, so he just went ahead and asked.

"Do you have hollow powers?" Sayori's eyes instantaneously widened. Her mouth tensed and her knees locked. There it was. A question that was even worse than the one she had anticipated. Who knew that five simple little words could bring on so much anxiety? She smiled uneasily.

"W-what?"

"Do not play games, Sayori. You know exactly what I asked. Do you or do you not have a hollow inside of you like that boy, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"I – I wasn't aware that he had hollow powers," she lied.

"Again, do not play games. You do know that he has a hollow inside of him. You forget that I know you well. I am positive that you grilled Renji and Rukia for information about that boy." Sayori swore in her thoughts. She did indeed ask Renji about him. _Shit!_ "So, I am going to ask you one last time." He came even closer to the girl, only inches away from her body. She knew that he could see right through her, but for her own protection, she had no choice but to lie.

"N-No. That's crazy. Why in the world would I have a hollow inside of me?"

"Sayori."

"Shouldn't we be heading to the captain's meeting?"

"Do not change the subject, Sayori Shihoin. I asked you a question and I expect an answer." Sayori turned and attempted to walk away but Byakuya grabbed her by her arm and jerked her back to him. He pulled her flush against him and stared down at her with serious eyes. This intimidated her, she hated to admit. She could feel a light sweat form on her face.

"I asked you a question and I expect an answer; a_ real_ answer."

"B-Byakuya, I –"

"Tell the truth, Sayori."

"My, my, what is all this?" a masculine and playful voice suddenly appeared behind Byakuya. They looked over his shoulder to see that Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake were making their way across the bridge, headed to the Squad One meeting room. The Squad Eight captain grinned. "Byakuya-kun, Sayo-chan, you guys are getting mighty friendly again, yeah?" Sayori felt her face heat up and Byakuya's eyebrows furrowed.

"Absolutely not. I was asking a question. Nothing more." He loosened his grip and Sayori happily wriggled free. So thankful that her two seniors had interrupted, she bowed respectfully before them.

"Kyoraku-taicho, Ukitake-taicho, good morning." Jushiro smiled warmly.

"Good morning Sayo-chan."

"Are you ready for the meeting with Yama-jii, Sayo-chan?" Shunsui asked. Sayori nodded her head.

"Yes. I have faith that things may go differently this time." Shunsui tilted his hat and continued on to the meeting room.

"Yes, let's hope so." Jushiro waved at the younger shinigami as he followed his best friend.

"See you inside."

"Yes, Ukitake-taicho." Sayori began to follow the two captains to the meeting room; however, a strong hand on her wrist stopped her. She turned to see that Byakuya still had that unwavering glare.

"This discussion is not finished," he firmly said before releasing her. He walked past her and led the way to the room.

* * *

"This meeting has now come to order," Yamamoto said, using his cane as a gavel. "I will get right to the point. Squads Two and Eight, what are the results from your reinvestigation of the Kazumi Ito murder?" Soi Fon stepped forward.

"Captain, I and the onmitsukido, have successfully completed our portion of the investigation. We conducted investigations within the Ito and Hidaka estates. We also thoroughly checked the records of Squad Ten. We have concluded that the murder investigation that occurred twenty-five years prior was handled correctly and seamlessly. Therefore, I believe that Sayori Shihoin's testimony about her alleged motive proved to be false and her last sentence was accurate." Sayori's breath hitched. Her throat became dry. It was deja vu. _Not again. Please no. _

"Very well then," Yamamoto said before Soi Fon stepped back in line. He looked in Shunsui's direction. Shunsui glanced at Sayori briefly before stepping forward. She prayed that he had good news.

"In accordance with Squad Two's investigation, we were not able to find anything either that suggested that the previous trial had errors. Unfortunately . . . I agree with Soi Fon-taicho that Sayori is guilty of treason." Sayori sighed deeply and lowered her head.

"P – Please," she softly said. "There must be some mistake. It has to be."

"Silence!" Yamamoto ordered. "You will have your turn to speak at the end. Until then, I would like to hear from the Squad Six and Squad Twelve captains regarding Setsuna Hidaka. Kuchiki-taicho, would you please give your report on the progress of her training."

"Yes," Byakuya said, stepping forward. "Setsuna Hidaka has regained a large fraction of her former powers and her spiritual pressure appears to have returned to normal. She recently activated her shikai and successfully used it on one of Aizen's arrancars. Although she has yet to regain most of her memories, she is almost her former self. At this pace, I believe she will be ready to rejoin within a month's time."

"Very good. Kurotsuchi-taicho, your report on Setsuna's conditions." Byakuya stepped back in place and Mayuri took center stage.

"I recently finished my analysis on Setsuna and her spiritual pressure upon return to the soul society. I was able to find traces of Sayori's reiatsu on the girl. This reiatsu was discovered before Sayori made any contact with her sister, thus confirming the theory that she was the one who sealed her away. As for the sealing techniques, I have determined that three bakudo kido were used." He turned to look at Sayori with a smirk on his face. "All three kido are forbidden." Knowing that he was not lying, Sayori quenched her eyes and clenched the fabric of her clothing. She bit her lip as she silently listened to Mayuri divulge her secret kido practices. She could feel some of the captains' eyes gravitate toward her.

"I was also able to determine the order of the kido by the effect it had on the girl's body and soul. The first spell used was Jikanteishi, a time stopping kido. The spell was used to halt the aging process and time in a specific area. The second spell used was Seishinjokyo. This spell slowly lowers a user's reiryoku to a human level. Results indicate that the kido had a limited effect on Setsuna, but the process ended in time that it will have no long term effect on her. The final spell cast was Shisubekishussan. This kido is also known as "mortal birth". It is designed to slowly turn a person human by removing all of their soul reaper powers and removing their memories. This kido also had a limited effect. It did remove Setsuna's memories but not her powers, as we all have seen." He turned to Sayori and smiled widely. "I should be thanking you. Your blatant disregard for the rules of the Soul Society has provided excellent research material on forbidden kido."

"Thank you, Kurotsuchi-taicho," Yamamoto said as Mayuri went to stand back in his place. He turned to look at Sayori. The anger and disappointment on his face was clear as day. "I never thought that you would do something like this, Sayori Shihoin. To think that a lieutenant in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would commit such heinous acts is disgraceful! Your actions have brought shame upon your position and your family and upon yourself. I would like to know what you were thinking."

"Head Captain," Sayori began in a weary voice. "I know that I messed up. I am well aware that I broke many laws. In retrospect, I know that I should have considered other alternatives to take. However, I do not regret that what I did saved my sister's life. If that was truly the only way things could have gone, then I would gladly do it over and over again. I know that to all of you, I am common criminal. I know that you all may think I killed Kazumi out of some malicious intent, but I know that it's not true. I don't know why no one could find evidence, but to this day, I am one hundred percent sure that she planned to assassinate my sister. I do regret how I handled some things after the murder, but I do not regret taking her life."

"I'm not going to waste any more time. Because of the circumstances surrounding Sosuke Aizen's elimination of Central 46, all governing power that they once had has been delegated to me. After considering everything, I have decided on your fate. Sayori Shihoin, you were banished from the Seireitei last time, yet somehow, you managed to keep your shinigami powers and was able to remain in the Soul Society. I am not going to order exile this time. Instead, I sentence you to life imprisonment in Shugo, the third level of the underground prison." Sayori felt defeated. She had completely lost her fight. Byakuya saw it in her eyes. She had given up hope. This change in her was also noticed by another one of her former captains.

"This ruling is to take effect immediately. Punishment squad, please come and collect the prisoner."

"Hold on a moment, Sensei," Jushiro abruptly said, stepping out of line. Yamamoto glared at him annoyed.

"Yes, what is it Jushiro?"

"I think you should give Sayori a 24 hour grace period before you send her to prison. Give her the chance to properly say goodbye and to finish up her training with Setsuna. I think that she could at least be granted this since she helped Setsuna regain her power. Please consider it." Yamamoto stood in silence for a moment.

"Alright. I will give Sayori 24 hours' time to wrap up things with Setsuna."

"Head Captain, you mustn't!" Soi Fon protested. "She needs to be imprisoned immediately!"

"Give the girl a break, taicho," Shunsui defended. "She has the rest of her life to look forward to in Shugo. What harm can an extra 24 hours of freedom do?" Soi Fon grinded her teeth, but backed down.

* * *

Sayori could still feel the sting of the captain's words as she walked out of the meeting room. While the other captains filtered out, Jushiro and Shunsui lingered behind to offer her encouragement and support. Soi Fon stayed to gloat and Byakuya stood as her guard.

"Setsuna stop, please! I don't think we can go in there!" Sayori and the four captains turned to see the slim and average height young shinigami hurry across Squad One's bridge. The look in her eyes showed her anger. Renji followed closely behind, desperately trying to get her to stop. Sayori smiled softly as she stepped from the captains and toward the charging girl.

"H-Hime."

"Don't 'Hime' me!" Everyone's eyes widened as the girl shouted at her sibling. Setsuna was so calm and shy that it was very out of character to see her angry. However, this did not seem like typical anger. It was more like rage. Setsuna put a finger in her sister's face and bared teeth in a menacing snarl. "Stop with the act! You liar! You lied to me!" Sayori's breath hitched in shock.

"Se-Setsuna. What is wrong?"

"What the hell do you mean 'what is wrong'?!"

"Setsu calm down!" Renji pleaded, grabbing the girl around the waist and attempting to restrain her. Setsuna immediately fought against his grip.

"No! Renji let me go! Stop!"

"No! You need to calm yourself!"

"Let her go, Renji," Sayori calmly said. Renji looked at her as if she was crazy. _You do know that at this rate, she's going to claw your eyes out . . ._

Sayori gave a weak and reassuring smile at the crimson haired stud. "It's alright. You can let her go." Renji relaxed his hold and Setsuna broke free. She stepped up to her sister again.

"You lied to me about taking me to the world of the living! You said you would come back! You never did! I remember that night, Sayori!" Sayori's eyes widened.

"You got your memories back."

"Yes I did! What are you surprised?! I bet you never thought I'd get them back! I bet you was hoping that I would stay blind to the truth forever didn't you?!"

"No, Hime, I'm very happy that you can remember your past." Sayori reached out to hold her hand and get her to calm down but Setsuna snatched her arm away. "Hime, I'm your sister. I love you. I'd do anything to protect you. I never meant to hurt you, please believe that. Can't you remember our past? All of the love we had and still have for each other?"

"I don't need to remember any of it! I don't care now! After remembering how you sealed me away and ruined my wonderful life here, I could care less about what our relationship used to be!" The look in the eyes of Sayori at that very moment stirred something in Byakuya. He had never _ever_ seen such a hurt look in the head strong woman's eyes. Sayori often times gave him the impression that she was invincible. She carried herself with such power that he felt like she could handle anything in the world. It was one of the things that he respected and admired about her.

However, when she came back into his life, he began to see what most of that 'super woman' persona really was; an act. Sayori was never really one to show him her vulnerability. She had no problem showing other emotions like happiness or anger, but like him, it took something catastrophic, like death, to show her vulnerable side to him. If anything she hid it from everyone. He believed that the only one she trusted enough to tell everything to was her brother. After he died, the habit of bottling emotions became more prevalent. Even though he still did not agree with how she went about it, for the very first time, Byakuya was beginning to understand Sayori. _Her only goal was to protect her pride._ Never in their century and a half long friendship did he understand her more than he did right then.

"Setsuna, I only tried to protect you."

"Oh my – . . . you . . . you are such a liar! I can't believe that I ever called you my sister! You are so phony and I hate you!"

"Such insolence." Sayori's and everyone else's eyes widened as the Squad Six captain now held the fuming girl by the back of her collar. He gave her a forceful pull and drug her away from her sister's face. Renji was stunned by his captain's aggression.

"Ku-Kuchiki-taicho!"

"How dare you make such a scene in front of four captains and a lieutenant in the Gotei 13. The amount of disrespect you have shown is unforgiveable." Setsuna wanted nothing more than to struggle against the vastly stronger man's grip. However, she knew that it was in her best interest to just shut up and listen. "Whatever tension you and Sayori have, it needs to be handled in private. To behave like this in front of five superiors is reprehensible. You disrespect the honor in which you were raised. You shame Yume-sama and Yoshimitsu-sama with these actions." Byakuya effectively silenced the girl. She huffed in anger but did not challenge his authority. After seeing that she had briefly calmed, he let her go. He turned to his lieutenant. "Abarai-fukutaicho, take this girl back to the Squad Six barracks."

"Yes, Sir." Renji bowed and quickly grabbed Setsuna by the arm.

"Wait!" Setsuna protested, breaking free from Renji once more. The red-head felt like dying right then and there. _Please Setsuna stop. Don't cause more problems, please!_ The cerulean eyed princess grabbed her zanpakuto that was resting in her obi. All captains placed their hands on their own zanpakutos, prepared to defend themselves if Setsuna decided to attack. They stared in shock when she threw both the sword and sheath at Sayori's feet. "I'm done. I don't want to train anymore. It's over." Before anything else could happen, Renji quickly grabbed the girl and shunpoed away to Squad Six.

Watching the whole scene with a mix of satisfaction and surprise, Soi Fon smirked to herself as she turned on her heels. "I guess this means that the 24 hour grace period provided no use to you, huh?" she rhetorically asked before walking back to her barracks. Sayori bit her lip and lowered her head. Not even Soi Fon's smugness could rattle her at that moment. She bent down and picked up Kageryuu. Jushiro stared at his former student with sad eyes.

"Sa – Sayori-chan," he said, reaching out to her. Shunsui grabbed his wrist. He looked at his best friend and shook his head. _Now is simply not the time. Byakuya-kun is more suited for this._

"Come on Jushiro, I'll buy you that drink I promised you," he said, changing the subject as he began to walk away. "Don't worry about it Sayo-chan. Suna-chan will come around. Everything will be okay." Hesitating at first, Jushiro followed his long-time friend after saying his proper goodbye to his two juniors.

Byakuya did not know what to say after a morning like she experienced. His accusations that a hollow was dwelling inside of her, a sentencing and now her sister declared her hatred for her. As her friend, he wanted to support her. However, as her superior, he knew that he could not let emotions get involved. Besides, they were not the same two people that they used to be. _Our relationship has evolved past emotions . . . hasn't it?_

"Say-chan . . ." It had slipped out before he thought about it; the pet name that he alone called her. Sayori looked at him with drained eyes. He quickly regained his composure. "I mean . . . Sayori. Let's go." He silently began to walk to his division's property. Sayori slid Kageryuu back inside of its sheath and slowly followed.

"Alright."

* * *

Sayori stared up at the ceiling, feeling restless in the Kuchiki Manor's large guest bedroom. It was approaching 3am and the remaining hours of her freedom were dwindling. Aside from Byakuya being kind enough to have her favorite meal prepared that evening, her last day as a free woman had been complete hell. Setsuna's point-of-view from the night she took her to the real world and the news that she had just been sentenced to life in Shugo was spreading like wildfire throughout the Seireitei. None of the Squad Six shinigami wanted anything to do with her. Rukia gave her the side eye, Renji was cold and Arisu completely avoided her. If she didn't feel like an outcast before, she certainly did then. Although she did feel that some of the harsh treatment was warranted. After all, regardless of her reasons, she did break several laws of the Soul Society. Now Byakuya was on to her biggest secret of all. If anyone discovered _that_, she would not survive long enough to even set foot in Shugo.

As she lay in bed, staring out into the mocking, clear and crisp night, a hell butterfly flew inside. Assuming it was a misdirected message, she ignored it. However when it didn't leave, she stuck out her hand to receive the message.

"Sayo-chan, meet me by our hiding place in Yachiyo." Sayori's eyes widened to hear the voice of Byakuya.

"Yachiyo? What could he possibly want to talk about out there? This has to be some mistake." Investigating her suspicions, Sayori lowered her reiatsu and tip-toed to Byakuya's bedroom which was five rooms down from hers. Quietly sliding the door open, she saw that he was neither in bed nor in the room. After not finding him in his study either, she followed the instructions of the butterfly and headed off to Yachiyo, the second district in the South Rukongai.

* * *

_**A/N: Now what does Byakuya want and why is he calling her out so far? Next chapter has part two of the night of the murder/kidnapping and three major secrets will be revealed. Update should be up within the month. Thanks for reading :D**_


	16. Wicked Games

_**A/N: Thank you DeucesAre Wild and Yuukiyanagi for the reviews and I may consider knocking Soi Fon around lol. **_

_**Alright onward to Chapter Sixteen. So when we last left, Sayori had been sentenced to life in prison, she had an argument with Setsuna, and she was on her way to the Rukongai to meet Byakuya. Let's see what goes down today:**_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Ready? Set? Go!" Rukia and Setsuna were dumbfounded as they watched their best friends quickly down their ninth bottle of sake. Renji and Arisu were the last ones standing in the truth or dare game that the four had been playing for a while in Renji's bedroom. Because Rukia and Setsuna were not hardcore drinkers, they gave up early in the game. It was now down to the crimson locked, handsome man and the blonde beauty and neither wanted to be the first to admit defeat.

"Beat you," Renji grinned as he set his empty sake bottle on the table. Arisu rolled her eyes and finished her last few sips before setting her bottle down as well.

"Fine. I pick truth." Renji grinned again.

"Is it true that you've slept with Kyoraku-taicho?" Arisu bit down on her lip, not wanting to reveal the answer. She snickered at her friend's deviousness.

"Ren-chan, how are you gonna ask me that?"

"Just answer the question."

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell."

"Well no problem for you, since you aren't a lady." Renji laughed as Arisu smacked him on his arm. She pouted and moaned. She was tempted to lie, but she never could tell one successfully. Somehow people always knew when she was lying. She decided to concede.

"Alright . . . you win," she reluctantly said, putting her hands up. Renji clapped his hands and let out a small victory yell."

"It's about time! I'm beginning to get drunk off this sake. I don't want to have a hangover." Rukia lifted a brow.

"Beginning? That was your ninth bottle."

"Well, Setsuna bought a weaker brand so it's not that bad. It's good for lightweights like you two."

"Baka, we aren't lightweights. We just know how to compose ourselves unlike you fools."

"That's right," Setsuna agreed. Arisu sighed deeply as she reached for another bottle of sake and opened the top.

"I missed hanging out like this. It's like things are finally back to normal since you came back, Suna-chan. I feel like my circle is complete again." Setsuna blushed as she poured herself a cup of juice and nibbled on one of Renji's favorite taiyaki desserts.

"Aww that is so sweet, Risu-chan. I'm just happy that I can remember you guys. I see why we all became friends."

"Can you remember everything now?" Rukia asked, removing an onigiri from the snack plate.

"For the most part, yes. Some memories will get jumbled with other memories and some are still incomplete. Unohana-taicho said that this would probably last a while. She said the more I surround myself with the familiar, the more it will help to make things clear."

"Well, that's good. You've come a long way from when Ichigo and I found you in the world of the living."

"I just don't know what Sayo-chan was thinking," Arisu thought out loud. "Never in a million years did I think she would do that." Setsuna rolled her eyes as she took another bite of taiyaki.

"Yeah, well . . . tomorrow she'll pay for it."

"Have you talked to her since this morning?" Renji asked. Setsuna shook her head.

"Nope and I don't plan on it either."

"Well, I think you should talk to her before she's imprisoned," Rukia suggested. Setsuna turned to the petite woman with a look as if to say 'you-are-insane'. Rukia noticed and sighed as she set down her onigiri. "If nothing else, you need to get answers. Find out why she kidnapped you and sealed you away. Who knows, she may have had a legitimate reason."

"I already know her reason. She said she did it to protect me."

"But have her explain the entire story to you. Sit with her until you get it out of her. Sometimes older siblings do things that seem evil, but deep down they don't mean harm. Trust me, I speak from experience."

"Rukia is right," Renji agreed. "She may have fucked up big time, but other than that, Sayori has always been a good sister to you. You should at least say goodbye if nothing else. After all, you will probably never see her again if she's going to Shugo." She smirked.

"I thought that you guys didn't like my sister." Arisu shook her head.

"I'm questioning her character now, but I have always loved Sayo-chan."

"I agree," Rukia said. "That's why I suggested that you talk to her."

"Plus she's not our sister. Even if you're angry now, you'll feel the effects of her absence later. So I think it's a good idea if you get closure," Renji agreed. Setsuna stared down at her snack in thought. She had been feeling conflicted since the blowup with Sayori that morning. While she was still furious at her sister, the more she remembered about their past prior to the incident, the more she questioned if she truly was out to get her. All the smiles, hugs, kisses and love that they shared were too strong to ignore. Still, some things were simply unforgiveable.

"I – I . . . I don't know guys."

"If you want, we'll go with you," Arisu offered. "We will wait outside the door just in case you need support."

"Yeah, you know we got your back Setsu," Rukia smiled. Renji smiled and nodded his head. The support of her friends helped to reassure the dark haired woman.

"Alright. Let's go over to see her tonight."

* * *

**25 years ago . . .**

The message for the Seireitei gates to be lowered did not make it to the gatekeepers in time. When Jidanbo Ikkanzaka received the order to lower the gate, the fugitive, Sayori Shihoin, had already left the Seireitei. Because she was still technically a lieutenant in the Gotei 13, Jidanbo had no reason to suspect that Sayori was the one whom was being pursued. He assumed that she was headed out on a mission in the Rukongai. Although he had to admit that he thought it was strange that she was dressed in a fancy, dark purple, silk kimono.

"Come on. Please pick up. Please pick up!" Sayori said to herself as she shunpoed through the districts of the western Rukongai, trying to make it to district fourteen before anyone captured her. She figured that the stealth force would be sent soon and while she was fast at shunpo, she definitely could not outrun the stealth force, much less Soi Fon. She hoped that the reiatsu hiding kido that she placed upon herself was enough to stall her for a while. Being in a rush, she had used it without the incantation, thus lessening its power. Still, she figured it would work well enough considering her high level mastery of kido.

"Ellllo. Kisuke Urahara here." Sayori sighed deeply, relieved that the person on the other end of her denreishinki finally answered her call.

"Kisuke-kun! I need your help!" Kisuke grinned and put his fan to his lips.

"Ahhh Sayo-chan. It's been a long time. How are you doing, girl?"

"Shitty. Very, very shitty. But I'm going to have to tell you that later when I have time. Right now I need for you to do me a huge favor. If you do, I swear I'll owe you big time." Kisuke cocked a brow. She sounded like she was in great distress. For her to make a promise like that to him, she must have been very desperate. If nothing else he was curious.

"Sure, Sayo-chan. Anything for a family member of Yoruichi's. What is it that you need?"

"I need you to set up a Senkaimon. I need to come to the world of the living tonight. It's very important."

"Doesn't the Hidaka clan have a personal Senkaimon? The Kuchiki and Shihoin clans also have their own. There are three right there that you have access to, Sayo-chan."

"Kisuke-kun, if I were in a position to use them, do you think I'd be calling and begging you right now?" He chuckled.

"My oh my, Sayori. What did you do?"

"I promise I will tell you later. Just answer me, okay? Can you or can you not do it?"

"Alright, alright. I can do it. I will send you to my shop. I will set it up at Kukaku's and let her know that you're coming."

"Thank you so much, Kisuke-kun! I owe you big!"

"Don't mention it. Are you heading there now?"

"No, not just yet. I need to make a quick stop first."

* * *

"Are you sure this is the place where we are supposed to complete the hollow mission?" a ginger haired Arisu asked when she, Setsuna, Rukia and other members of Squads Eight and Thirteen arrived in western district fourteen. Setsuna looked at her denreishinki to verify the orders that her captain had given.

"Yeah, that's what it says on my soul pager." Rukia furrowed her eyebrows as she looked around the empty field.

"Then . . . where are the hollows? I don't see any around and I don't sense any either."

"Well, Ukitake-taicho did say that these hollows are kind of like the ones that killed Shiba-fukutaicho a while back. So he wanted us to be really careful when we approach them." Rukia lowered her gaze and stared at her feet.

"Oh. I see." Setsuna felt like a complete asshole for bringing up Kaien Shiba's death. Although it had been some years since he was killed, Rukia was still not over what happened that night. Everyone, including Setsuna, took it very hard with their lieutenant passed, but no one took it as hard as Rukia. Also sensing the sad emotions that threatened to brew in her, Arisu put a hand on her shoulder. She flipped her chin length bob and smirked.

"All the more motivation to beat the shit outta these losers, yeah?" Rukia looked at the blunt girl and smiled softly.

"Yeah. Alright let's go." The three women took off running across the large, grassy field toward a wooded area that bordered the far end of the land. As they ran, Setsuna looked up in the sky and noticed how clear it was that night. The absence of light in the rural area made the stars and moon very bright and visible. After the mission was over, she planned to sleep under the stars. Perhaps Renji would like to star gaze with her.

"Hey guys, I'm getting a signal. It says that there are a few of those hollows just beyond these first few trees," Setsuna informed her cohorts as she picked up the pace.

"Awesome. This bounty should cover that black lingerie that I've been wanting."

"Focus, Risu-chan," Rukia said, shaking her head. The three women each removed their zanpakuto from their sheaths and prepared to enter the woods. Coming to a complete stop, they cautiously examined their surroundings as they carefully walked through the thickness and darkness of nature. It wasn't too long after they entered when a large hollow attacked them. They defeated him quickly and easily before two more appeared. After killing those two, the ladies walked deeper and deeper into the woods.

"These fuckers are weird," Arisu said, her teal eyes watching carefully. Rukia nodded her head.

"Yes, they are. They also like to possess other beings and take control over their bodies. So please be careful you two." Setsuna smiled warmly as she walked behind the Kuchiki noble, the last one in line.

"We have no choice but to be careful. Don't worry at all Rukia-chan." It had been a while now since they had been in the forest and the further they walked; the harder it became to see. That's why they were glad that the next hollow to attack them was pure white, making it visible against the moon's light. The three shinigami attacked the fiend with vigorous force. However, this particular hollow was stronger than the previous ones they had encountered. It screeched loudly as it jumped toward Arisu, threatening to wound her. Setsuna jumped between her best friend and the hollow and blocked the attack with her katana. This greatly angered the hollow for it knocked Setsuna back against a far tree with one swing.

"Setsuna!" Rukia and Arisu screamed in unison as their friend laid flat against the ground, injured. However, their attention quickly turned back to the hollow as it prepared to launch another attack. The skirmish lasted a good while, ending with minor injuries for the fair skinned duo. Rukia and Arisu had been so preoccupied with the hollow that neither noticed when their dark skinned friend disappeared. Rukia looked around her but did not see any sign of the youngest shinigami.

"Setsuna?!"

"Suna-chan!"

"Setsuna where are you?!"

"Suna-chan quit fucking playing around!" After calling her several times and receiving no reply, Rukia and Arisu began to panic. Temporarily abandoning their hollow mission, they began to search the woods for the woman. After not finding her after a while, they uneasily continued their hollow mission but not before Rukia sent out a Tenteikura to inform her squad and captain that their fifth seat had gone missing.

"Shhh! You have to be quiet!" Sayori hissed in her little sister's ear. Setsuna's eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder at her frazzled and blood stained elder sister. Sayori smiled as she let go of the girl's mouth. The blue haired woman had taken the opportunity of Setsuna being attacked and grabbed her while Rukia and Arisu were focused on the hollow. She flash stepped away without being noticed.

"Onee-chan!" she whispered. "What are you doing here? Why are you covered in blood?"

"I don't have time to explain, Hime. We need to get going."

"Wait, wait! I need to report to Kiyone and Sentaro so they can tell Ukitake-taicho I'm leaving. Rukia just sent out a Tenteikura saying that I'm missing."

"I'll handle it later, don't worry," Sayori said, grabbing the younger woman by the wrist and dragging her along. Setsuna reluctantly followed. She did not want to abandon her post without letting anyone know. However, if Sayori was _this_ insistent, there must have been an emergency that needed her attention. Did something happen to her clan? Would could it be that had her so rattled and why was she covered in blood?

"Onee-chan, where are we going?" Setsuna asked while she shunpoed behind her sister, more than able to keep up with her speed. "Why did you place a reiatsu hiding kido on me?"

"We are going to the world of the living. At least until things die down here in the Soul Society. The Gotei 13 is currently looking for me." Setsuna's eyes widened and her mouth sat agape.

"The captains and lieutenants? Byakuya-sama too? Why are they after you?"

"I promise I will take time and explain to you later, Hime. Right now we need to focus on getting to Kukaku Shiba's house." Setsuna was dying to know what was going on, but respected her sister's wishes. They successfully made it to Kukaku's home and to the world of the living without getting caught or incurring any other problems.

* * *

"Sayori," Yoruichi began, her eye twitching. "Now you have done a lot of crazy shit in the past, but I never would have thought killing a captain would be one of them." Sayori groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"This whole thing is insane. I feel like I'm completely losing control of this situation." She groaned again as she flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling in Urahara's shop. "What in the hell have I gotten myself into?" Sayori heard a soft, masculine chuckle and the closing of a shoji door. Urahara sat down cups of tea for the two women before taking a seat himself.

"You have gotten yourself into a mess, that's what," he said, holding a fan to his lips. Sayori sat up and narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're not helping, smartass." She sighed deeply as she took a sip of tea that she asked the blonde man to spike with potent sake. "Is Setsuna still in the other room with Tessai?"

"Yes, she just finished taking the sleeping aid that he made for her. She's changing into the white kimono now." Sayori stared at her cup of tea solemnly, tears threatening to fall.

"Good," she said in a shaky voice. The three sat quietly for a few moments, sipping on their tea. Yoruichi was the first to break the silence.

"Sayo . . . are you sure that this is what you want to do?" Sayori hesitantly nodded.

"Yes . . . I'm sure. Now that I am probably going to be sent to prison for the rest of my life, this is the only way I can be sure that Setsuna will be safe from harm. This way, she can live a normal, happy life as a human. I'll see her again one day when she passes on to the Soul Society."

"Are you going to return to the Soul Society?"

"Yes. I will face whatever punishment Central 46 decides to give. If I don't return, it will just raise more suspicion and put more risk upon Setsuna. I'll take all the blame it's no problem."

"Well then," Urahara said, his voice taking a more serious tone. "If you intend to go through with this plan to turn your sister human, I would suggest that you don't do it here in Karakura Town. Karakura Town is the current jureichi, so performing the task here may cause problems. If I were you, I would take her to Sapporo and seal her away. Sapporo currently does not have many spiritually aware beings. It should be safer there."

"Sapporo is several hours away. If I'm going to do this, it needs to be soon before anyone in the Soul Society suspects that I'm in the world of the living." Sayori buried her face in her hands again as another obstacle jumped into her path. She pondered for a few moments as to what she would do. She sighed deeply when she came up with the answer.

"I guess I'm just going to have to use Kukanten'i to get us there," she solemnly said as she shrugged. Yoruichi groaned as she face-palmed.

"That's a teleportation kido. You do know that is a forbidden spell don't you? Wait, of course you do. You're already planning on using three other forbidden kido later tonight!"

"Sayo-chan, do you know how to use these kido correctly? Have you ever used them before?"

"No, however, I believe that I can do it right. I inherited my father's supremacy in kido and my brother and Aizen-taicho helped me greatly develop it when I was in Squad Five. So, I think I can handle it." Yoruichi rolled her eyes.

"Sure go ahead and try it. Go on and add more years to your sentence. Be a dumbass why don't you?" Sayori sadly chuckled at her concerned cousin-in-law. She stood and quickly downed the rest of the spiked tea.

"Thank you so much for helping me. I'm forever in your debt." Urahara waved his fan dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, Sayo-chan. Just go do what you feel that you need to do." Sayori nodded before leaving the room to go find her little sister. When her footsteps faded to silence, Urahara turned to his best friend and stared at her with serious eyes. Already anticipating what he was going to say, she nodded.

"Yes . . . I noticed it."

"Something is not right about this situation. You noticed it, I noticed it and Tessai noticed it. So tell me why she did not mention anything about being in contact with Sosuke Aizen tonight?"

"You have to consider that no one else knows who Aizen really is but us, Shinji and the others. Maybe she ran into him on the way to see Kazumi?"

"No. His reiatsu is too strong for it to be in passing. Something tells me that she had contact with Kyokya Suigetsu tonight. Aizen is up to something." Yoruichi smirked as she stretched her arms above her head.

"When she returns to the Soul Society, should I tag along?" Urahara smirked back.

"Only if you are as curious as I am." She grinned.

"Always."

* * *

Sayori was more than convinced that the Seireitei's security was poor. The former noble woman was able to make it out of the city and through the south gate with no trouble at all. In fact, the gatekeeper didn't even notice her presence as she slipped by him. Perhaps it was because he was catching up on some sleep. He had been snoring when she drifted by, a lucky break for her.

It had been a long time since she had been in the more stable districts in the Rukongai. The first twenty four Southern districts were under the jurisdiction of Squad Six. She had often went there for missions. However, her connection with Yachiyo predated her time as Squad Six lieutenant. When he was very young, Byakuya had a horrible temper. That temper would often cause trouble for him. Whether it was his parents, his grandfather, or others, Byakuya frequently managed to anger someone on a regular basis. When this happened, the Kuchiki prince would flee the Seireitei and spend time alone by the Grand River in Yachiyo. Once he and Sayori became closer, he shared with her this secret place of his. She soon adopted it for herself as well. So there the two nobles would be, sitting serenely by the river. Talking, fishing, swimming, laughing, and of course, arguing.

It was approaching two in the morning when Sayori stepped foot on the riverbank. Sure enough, the message was sent by the Squad Six captain. There he stood, patiently by the small, wood bridge that connected one side of the river to the next. He was dressed in his simple night attire. Sayori was dressed in her white night kimono and a maroon haori, her long midnight blue hair in a messy side braided bun. He slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers when he heard her scrunch in the grass. "Byakuya? I got your message from the hell butterfly. What is it?"

"Come over here, Sayo-chan," he said in a stoic, but calm voice. Sayori obeyed and walked over to stand in front of him. "I wanted to spend some time alone with you before you head off to Shugo tomorrow." Sayori smiled weakly and lowered her head.

"Oh yeah? Well, that's sweet of you."

"How are you feeling about everything?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't feel anything except numbness really. I'm not sad and I'm not afraid. I just feel . . . numb."

"That tends to happen sometimes when people go through a traumatic experience."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. I wish I would have had the chance to talk to Setsuna after the blow up this morning. She didn't want to see me though."

"I see."

"I just don't know how all of that evidence disappeared, you know? You all may think that I'm crazy but I am a thousand percent sure that I saw those assassination plans. You probably still don't believe me." Byakuya took a step closer to his best friend. He stared down at her with sad eyes, something she was surprised to see.

"I don't understand either, Sayo-chan. However, if you say it's true, then I believe you." Sayori's eyes widened and her brain froze in shock when without warning, Byakuya brought his lips to hers. His lips were soft, but his kiss was a little more forceful than she remembered. It was like he was hungry to taste her. Nevertheless, it was a welcome surprise as she kissed him back with the same intensity under the shine of the moon.

* * *

The day he admitted it would be the day that Ichigo Kurosaki learned how to use his name properly. It honestly shook him when the Head Captain sentenced Sayori to life in Shugo. He couldn't argue that punishment wasn't warranted. In all fairness, his superior did make the right judgment considering the circumstances. Still, it was . . . _her_. _She may be reckless but she is not evil. She would never have murdered Kazumi for personal gain._ _Her story has not wavered once for all of these years. Then why can't anyone find evidence? _None of it added up in his opinion. The plot had holes that he could not ignore.

Byakuya softly padded down the walkway outside of his and Rukia's chambers. He walked five rooms down from his where Sayori was staying. Tonight was the last night that she would be a free woman. If anything, the incident with Rukia and Ichigo taught him that he shouldn't be so closed off to the desires of his heart for the sake of the rules. Sayori used to be, and . . . still was, his best friend. He didn't dare show it but he still had a lot of love for her. The walls they had built during the years were crumbling. All of their hatred toward each other was fading away. He didn't want to lose her again but this time, he had no choice in the matter. She was scheduled to be imprisoned in the morning and he wanted a proper goodbye. He did not want to end things like they did the last time.

Byakuya quietly opened the shoji screen of the large room. His eyes widened when he saw that Sayori was not lying in her bed. "Sayori?" He said as he came inside to thoroughly inspect it. No answer and no sign of her. His brows furrowed. _Do not tell me that she escaped. My honor as a captain is disgraced if she did! _He slowly closed his eyes and focused in on the reiatsu surrounding the area. He sensed faint traces of her spiritual pressure, but it was not enough to determine a location. After pouring some black powder onto the floor and drawing the designated symbols instructed by the kido, Byakuya placed his palms under the circle and recited the incantation to heighten the effectiveness of Bakudo 58: Kakushitsuijaku, a tracking kido. His eyes widened again when he received Sayori's current location. His breath hitched. _She's at our hiding spot in Yachiyo . . . but she's also with . . ._

* * *

Sayori melted into the kiss, completely relaxing into the arms of the man whom she thought was Byakuya. Those soft lips retained their effect on her that they had all those years ago when she and Byakuya almost made love for the first time. It seemed as if things were headed that way again as he laid her in the grass. However, something seemed a little . . . off. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but Byakuya did not seem like himself. _Something isn't right. I don't know what it is, but something is not right about this at all. _Sayori moaned as she tore her lips away from his. "I want to be on top," she seductively whispered before licking his ear. A shudder went up his spine and he nodded his head. Sayori smirked as they changed positions. She used this new dominance as an opportunity to figure out what about this situation had her uneasy. Like before, her mind and body were at opposite ends of the spectrum. While her mind contemplated, her body indulged in much needed passions. Her hips grinded against him slowly and drew a soft moan from him.

"Sayo-chan," he whispered. Her ears peaked. That was it. He had been calling her 'Sayo-chan' all night long. Byakuya had never once called her that during the entire time that they had known each other. It was always either 'Sayori' or 'Say-chan' with him and he was the only person in the world who called her the latter. This is also when she noticed that his reiatsu was slightly off. On the surface, it felt like his. However . . .

Sayori slowly removed the hairpin that was holding up her bun. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she rapidly transformed it into Tejinashi's sealed state. She held the blade flush against the man's throat. His eyes widened.

"Who are you?" she demanded in a cold voice.

"W-What?"

"You heard my question! Who the hell are you?! You are not Byakuya! So who are you?!"

"Shatter. Kyoka Suigetsu." Sayori's eyes widened as Byakuya's form below her transformed into a standard arrancar. Her breath hitched and before she was able to properly turn around and completely dodge the attack, a blade ran through her right side. Sayori escaped a fatal blow by shunpoing away at the last second. She stood shakily on her feet and clutched her wound as she panted and struggled to speak. The strike that missed her successfully cut down the arrancar, who was remorselessly dispatched.

"My, oh my. It seems that I missed." Sayori's heart raced in her chest and she was rendered paralyzed when her attacker came into view; seductive brown eyes, soft brown hair and a fake smile. Dressed in white and carrying a demeanor that was daunting, the nervous feeling in the woman only intensified when she realized that she knew this man. He was also a former captain of hers; the man who succeeded her father's second term as captain of Squad Five.

"S – Sosuke Aizen." Aizen smirked as he held his katana's bloody blade laxly by his side.

"Sayori Shihoin, my former fourth seat. It's been such a long time, hasn't it? Have you missed your former captain?" Had she not known of the recent events that occurred while she was in exile, she most likely would have said yes. When she transferred from the thirteenth division to the fifth, she did not like it. She didn't want to leave her first captain and mentor. However, Jushiro insisted that she needed to be under the leadership of Aizen. He told her that Sosuke Aizen was better suited for helping to further cultivate her immense gift in kido. She soon discovered that he was right. Aizen was instrumental in helping to develop her high level kido. She improved so much under him that she was now able to do all ninety nine hado and all ninety nine bakudo spells without incantations. She was the only non-captain at the time, other than the lieutenant of Squad One, who could make that claim.

He was so kind and patient with her and the rest of her squad members. She enjoyed her days under his leadership so much that she initially hated it when she received the news that she was promoted to the lieutenant position in Squad Six. However, Aizen had reassured her that she would do fine as a lieutenant and that whoever her new captain was would be grateful to have her. It was hard for her to believe it when she was told that he had betrayed the Soul Society.

Aizen chuckled as he wiped his blade with a cloth. "Well, I suppose you don't now. I'm sure you've heard why I'm not a captain anymore."

"You make it sound as if you were robbed from your position. How could you betray everyone that cared for you?"

"Betrayal? Heh, how naïve. I've told you soul reapers before that admiration is the furthest thing from understanding. How could you all let emotions blind you so?" Sayori growled low, gripping Tejinashi with both hands.

"Lie! Tejinashi!" Instantly, the katana went into its shikai. Aizen smirked upon seeing the zanpakuto for the first time in several years.

"Tejinashi: an illusionary zanpakuto. It has the ability transform into any zanpakuto of your choosing. All you have to do is shine the red light emitting from the skull on top of that staff on the opponent's zanpakuto and its abilities are copied into your own sword. It is also able to retain these abilities for a long time after the fight ends so your next opponent never truly knows what tricks you will pull. I guess that's why it's named 'Magician'."

"I'm glad you remember. Therefore, I'm sure that you are aware that this fight is pointless. All I have to do is copy Kyoka Suigetsu's Kanzen Saimin ability and this fight is over." Aizen sneered. Before she knew what hit her, he had swung his sword completely across her chest, leaving a deep, diagonal wound from left to right. Sayori stared in shock. She never once saw him coming. The last she knew he was standing a little off to her right. So how did he . . .?

"Foolish girl. Don't you realize that Kyoka Suigetsu is flawless? For your ability to actually work, you have to know where my zanpakuto's blade is at all times. Trying to use Tejinashi on a mere image will do no good." Sayori's eyes widened as the image of Aizen she had been talking to evaporated.

"W- What the . . . hell?!"

Sayori collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from the slash on her chest. She breathed heavily and roughly, trying to compose herself. _No, you better not die. Don't you die out here at the hands of this fool! Remember the words of Shiba-fukutaicho. Never die alone. Stay with it!_ Sayori found the willpower to push herself to her knees, but her strength to stand lagged behind. Aizen sneered again as menacingly stood above her. He taunted her as he rubbed Kyoka Suigetsu's blade against her cheeks.

"This is quite a different scene than twenty five years ago, isn't it?" Sayori's eyes widened. She jerked her head up to look at him.

"W-What are you talking about?" Aizen smirked, his eyes full of malicious intent. He removed Kyoka Suigetsu from the woman's face and kneeled down to be at eye level with her.

"Since you are on death's door, I suppose that it's okay that I tell you. I wouldn't want you to die without knowing the truth of what really happened that night. The truth is that . . . Kazumi Ito never wanted to murder your sister. Those assassination plans you were given that night were nothing but hollow mission documents." Sayori's breath hitched and her eyes widened.

"W-What?!"

"Yes, that is right. The truth is that I was the one who orchestrated the entire thing. I used my Kyoka Suigetsu to make you believe that what you were seeing was an intricate murder plot written by Kazumi. Then I ordered Kaname Tosen to bring it to your guards and instruct them that it was for your eyes only. Knowing your personality as well as I did, I deducted that you would confront her about the situation. So before you came to the barracks, I rendered Kazumi helpless and unseen by placing a temporary barrier on her and hiding her in another room in the barracks. Using Kyoka Suigetsu again, I made myself appear to be her."

"So . . . So, the person who I fought that night was really . . . you?"

"You catch on quickly. I indeed was the one whom you were fighting against. However, as you can clearly see, I'm not the one who you killed. At the last second, right before you delivered the final blow, I switched places with another. That person was the one you killed."

"Who did I murder?! Tell me!" Aizen smirked again.

"You murdered the real Kazumi Ito, who was completely innocent." A rush of emotions surged through Sayori at that moment; horror, guilt, anger, shock, disbelief; she felt every single one at that moment.

"I . . . I killed . . . an innocent woman?"

"That is correct. Don't tell me that you didn't notice a change in her toward the end of the fight?" Sayori had in fact noticed that her demeanor changed right after she had fatally wounded her. However, she felt that it was just Kazumi trying to draw mercy from her. "My goodness, I thought I taught you better. Even though my Kyoka Suigetsui's complete hypnosis is virtually flawless, a true and intelligent warrior would have noticed the difference in the reiatsu."

"Why would you set me up?! Why would you sacrifice Kazumi-sama?! What reason did you have?!"

"It was simply an exchange, my dear. I made a deal with a friend. In exchange for her participation in my hollow experiments, I promised to get rid of Setsuna permanently so she would not interfere with her plans."

"What plans?! Who asked you to kill Setsuna?!" Aizen smirked and stared at the girl, which infuriated her more than she already was. She gritted her teeth and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Who did it?! Answer me!"

"I'm surprised that you haven't already figured it out."

"Just answer me you bastard! Who set this up?!" He chuckled again a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Cho Hidaka." Sayori's heart almost stopped upon hearing the twenty-five year old secret. _Cho? CHO?! No . . . it can't be . . . he's lying_

"Y-You're lying to me."

"Now, why would I lie about that? Your sister's well-being does not interest me in the least. She's not at captain nor lieutenant level. Therefore her value to me as a test subject is zero."

"Test subject? You mean those hollow experiments that you did over the years behind everyone's back?"

"Precisely. As my experiments and results became more sophisticated, my subjects became more sophisticated. As a result, my prior interest in lower seated shinigami waned. I decided to focus my attention only on captain and lieutenant class reapers. The results were definitely intriguing, I have to say; especially in your case, my dear Sayori." He had confirmed a lingering suspicion that had been brewing inside of her since the rumors of his true nature spread. Learning about his betrayal and what he did to Shinji and the others a century prior convinced her that he had played a part in her hollowfication. There was a huge chunk of the night she took Setsuna to the world of the living that she simply could not remember no matter how hard she tried. That must have been when Aizen made his move.

But to hear him say it and to learn that her own cousin was behind her pain and suffering just did something to her. To think that a man she admired and her own flesh and blood could be so cold. To think that they could be so evil just sent her over the edge. Her inner demon began to stir.

"You are such an evil bastard, Aizen! I can't believe I ever called you captain! I can't believe any of us trusted you!" Sayori firmly gripped Tejinashi and used it to help her stand to her feet. Her reiastu gradually became more potent and more twisted as the rage she had tried so hard to contain began to pour out. Her mind was in complete chaos after learning all of the secrets that had been hidden for decades; Murdering an innocent woman, Cho's betrayal and Aizen ruining her life. It was all too much. Aizen smirked as he watched her cerulean eyes turn into a golden yellow and her whites become pure black.

"Yes, come on. You are just a failed arrancar. Your limited abilities should be amusing against my power."

Sayori screamed, her voice becoming distorted. She was conflicted between fighting her inner hollow and indulging in the violent behavior that was sure to come. Was defeating Aizen really worth losing herself in the process? _No! He can't win! You can't win! I won't let you have control of my body!_

Sayori fell to the ground, struggling against the transformation that Aizen knew was inevitable. Unlike the visored, she had not yet learned to fully control her hollow. He had no intention of stopping the transformation and anxiously waited for her hollow to completely consume her.

Uncharacteristic swears left his lips when an onslaught of cherry blossoms divided him and his ex-subordinate. His fun had been cut short. An unexpected visitor appeared from the shadows, whose usually calm grey eyes now stared at him with murderous intent; an unexpected visitor who had just heard his entire confession.

* * *

_**A/N: Here Byakuya comes to save the daaaay! lol**_

_**Dang, so it looks like Aizen and Cho were behind this whole thing. I wonder what other schemes they have been cooking up. **_

_**The chapter has the final part of what happened that night and some Byakuya vs. Aizen vs. Hollow Sayori action. A lemon is also coming up in either chapter 17 or chapter 18. Thank you so much for reading. I'll update sometime within the next two weeks.**_


	17. Battlecry

_**A/N: Ahhh so sorry it took so long guys. I went through a brief period of writer's block/sickness and down wifi. But I'm back with a new chapter and I'm actually slightly ahead in my Bleach stories now :D. So when we last left, Aizen had revealed some secrets to Sayori and the stress of the revelations caused her to hollowfy. As Aizen taunted the girl, Byakuya appears Superman-style! Also, Setsuna and the others had gone to find Sayori so the two sisters could talk. Well let's see what happens next... **_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

**25 years ago . . .**

Setsuna had only seen her sister cry when somebody died. No matter how badly she had been emotionally scarred or how much she had been injured, no tears ever fell from her eyes. The only exception to this was the night she was sealed away in the world of the living.

Setsuna remained quiet the entire time that Sayori performed Kukanten'i. She didn't know why her sister was using forbidden kido. In all honestly, she was afraid to learn the reason. Sayori had been acting so very strange the entire night. She barely said anything and her body was so tense and rigid. Something was definitely bothering her but whenever Setsuna would ask what it was, she would tell her not to worry.

Now the two were standing in front of a small, abandoned, world of the living neighborhood with houses that looked brand new. It was very weird that no humans were around. Seriously, what was going on?

"Hime, we're here. Let's go inside," Setsuna heard the voice of her sister say. Her tone was so solemn. It lacked any of the liveliness and spunk it usually had. _What happened to her while I was in the Rukongai? Why is everyone after her? Tell me, onee-chan!_

"Y-yes." Setsuna followed her inside.

The inside of the home was just as clean and beautiful as the outside. It was fully decorated, yet there was still no sight of even a single human around. Setsuna glanced in awe and confusion as she followed her sister up a flight of stairs and into a single bedroom that was at the top. Upon entering the large bedroom, Sayori directed Setsuna to go and lie down on the twin sized bed, which was the only furniture in the room. Hesitating at first, Setsuna nodded her head and followed the instructions.

"Onee-chan . . . what is going on?" she asked again, staring at the ceiling above. Sayori forced a smile as she gently squeezed her sister's hand.

"Just rest here for a little while, Hime. I need to take care of some things in the Soul Society, but I will be back soon."

"When?"

And just like that, tears began to fall from Sayori's eyes. Setsuna immediately sat up and wrapped an arm around her sister, repeatedly questioning what was wrong. Sayori's continued silence both frustrated and worried her. For this strong woman to cry at a time like this meant that something was undeniably, horribly wrong. She wanted to be there for her older sister but the woman wouldn't let her in.

Sayori choked back the tears and gave her sister a deep hug. "I will be back for you," she repeated in the girl's ear. "Just . . . promise me you'll rest here in the meantime." Setsuna pulled away from the hug and stared at her sister deeply in her cerulean eyes. She still had so many questions but she nodded her head in agreement. She figured she would just grill her sister later until she _had_ to tell her everything.

She slowly lied back down again and Sayori said one more goodbye as she left the room. As Setsuna laid there, her thoughts in complete disarray, Sayori waited outside of the door, masking her reiatsu so Setsuna wouldn't notice her continued presence. She waited until she could feel the younger girl's reiatsu dull. The sleeping tonic that Tessai gave her back at Urahara's was supposed to put her into a very deep, coma-like sleep. Around twenty minutes later, it took its effect. Setsuna's reiatsu had dulled to a minimum and upon reentry, Sayori saw that she was indeed in a deep sleep. She wasted no time in casting Jikanteishi to stop time in the bedroom. The kido was easier to perform than she thought, although it required a lot of her spiritual energy. Immediately after, she performed Seishinjokyo to diminish Setsuna's reiatsu. That particular sealing kido was harder to control and also took a lot out of Sayori. She also didn't know if it had been effective considering how long it took before its effects were seen. She could only hope for the best.

Feeling completely exhausted and weary, Sayori prepared to perform the final kido, Shisubekishussan: mortal birth. She chanted the incantation while her hands where placed firmly on Setsuna's heart. A thin layer of white reiatsu covered the girl when she was finished. The sealing kido was designed to turn her sister completely human over a period of fifty years. When she awoke after the fifty years' time, she would have no memories of her past life, no powers and would not be able to see spirits. She would be . . . _normal._

Sayori staggered backward and fell to the floor after all three kido were finished. She panted heavily and tried to regain her composure as she stared at the girl lying peacefully on the bed. She lied on the floor beside her for a while as she waited for her strength to return, tears slipping from her eyes once more.

-.-.-

The Kototsu had passed a few days prior, so Sayori was more than happy that the Dangai was empty when she travelled back to the Soul Society. The determined woman ran rapidly through the dark dimension, trying her best to make it back in a reasonable amount of time as to not draw further suspicion from her peers. She had already been gone too long and she knew that there had to be a full on search for her now. Her heart sank at the feeling that Byakuya may have been after her as well. She still couldn't believe how quickly he had disregarded her earlier. _Over a century of friendship and he acts like that?_

The astute woman didn't allow herself to dwell upon her hurt feelings as she suddenly saw a faint light at the end of the Precipice World signaling that she was back in the Soul Society. Jumping through the exit, Sayori regarded her location as she expertly fell to the ground below, sticking the landing with her hands and feet. She had ended up the same district where she had 'kidnapped' Setsuna only mere hours ago. Hitching her breath, Sayori thought back to her previous actions. She didn't know if she did the right thing by sealing her sister away for fifty years. She didn't know if turning her human was the moral thing to do. However, all she did know was that her sister was safe from harm. She was free from all threats to her life and any strenuous obligations that came with being clan leader. Sayori would undeniably miss the brightness that she brought into her life, but her sister's safety was the most important thing to her. She couldn't lose her like she had lost Maikeru.

It wasn't long after she had arrived and began walking back toward the Soul Society that she was apprehended. Unknowingly to her, a member of the stealth force had successfully snuck up behind her without her noticing a single shroud of his reiatsu. Turning around in shock, Sayori was only able to see a brief flash of the shinigami's icy blue eyes before she lost consciousness from the blow he delivered to her head.

* * *

Sosuke Aizen smirked as he wiped away a small amount of blood that trickled from the small cut on his cheek that Senbonzakura had provided. "I figured that you would show soon, Kuchiki-taicho. However, you got here faster than I expected. Your shunpo is very impressive."

"Sosuke Aizen, what are you doing here?" Byakuya demanded, skipping any formalities. Although his voice was cool as usual, one could easily detect the fury in his eyes. He was not a force to be reckoned with at that moment. Aizen was up for that challenge.

"Why I was simply chatting with my former subordinate. Doesn't she look happy to see me?" Byakuya looked over his shoulder, his breath hitching. Sayori's hollowfication was beginning to take place. As her distorted voice wailed as she steadily vomited white reiatsu which began to form a white mask with jet black markings under the eyes. Aizen lightly chuckled. "Hollowfication is always a fascinating experience. This is my very first time actually seeing this particular experiment in action, despite having conducted it twenty five years ago. I must say that she's resisting pretty well. She should have definitely lost her sanity by now."

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro." Six beams of yellow spirit energy enclosed the waist and arms of the lady shinigami, restricting her moves. Byakuya knew that the spell wouldn't hold for long but he hoped that it held long enough for him to shoo away the pest in front of him. Tilting the tip his sword toward the ground, Byakuya slowly released Senbonzakura, which dissolved into the Earth. "Bankai. Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Aizen didn't seem fazed as the billions of blades separated from the two endless rows of colossal swords. "Surely you don't think this is good enough," he said, tone bored. "You're not even aiming correctly." Byakuya gasped as Aizen faded before him like he had done earlier with Sayori. The Kuchiki noble was not able to move in enough time before Aizen ran Kyoka Suigetsu through his stomach. The smug sense of satisfaction that washed over the former Squad Five captain quickly evaporated when the attractive man realized that he was not the only one who could tease reality. He stared blankly at the empty haori that covered his blade. Aizen was not able to escape the barrage of blades sent his way as Byakuya effectively landed several cuts before his foe shunpoed away.

"Way of Onmitsu, Third of the Shiho: Utsusemi. If you think you are the only one that can play mind games, think again."

"Impressive, your blade cut me again," he calmly regarded, wiping some blood away from his wounded arm. "However, that will be the last time." Byakuya immediately took his preferred battle stance but was caught completely off guard when a flash of reiatsu passed him and blood splattered from his back. Stumbling forward a little, Byakuya used his hands to direct Senbonzakura toward the man who had just gotten him from behind. Aizen avoided all of the billions of blades, as he flash stepped around and used Kyoka Suigetsu's Kanzen Saimen once more. Byakuya was bested again when Kyoka's blade slashed his leg when he tried to dodge the strike. Aizen flicked the blood off of his sword and stared at the agile noble with a great degree of haughtiness and animosity.

"Just give it up, Kuchiki-taicho. No matter what you do, no matter what methods you contrive, no matter how determined you are to kill me, it simply won't work. You can use your Gokei, your Senkei, even your Shukei and they will all have no effect on me." Byakuya's eyes widened. Aizen noticed and chuckled. "I see. You're wondering how I know about your Senbonzakura's other attacks huh? Well, let's just say that I have eyes _everywhere_." He slowly walked towards the analytical male and Byakuya immediately took a defensive stance. Aizen paused half way and smirked. He loved seeing his prey like this. The uncertaintly and apprehension on his face were all so very seductive. It fueled the brunette's lust for deceit and manipulation. It almost aroused him. Almost.

However, both of the handsome men's attention quickly deviated back to the fallen Sayori who was screaming louder than before. She now stood erect, yet shakily, on her feet and was attempting to break free from the kido that Byakuya had placed upon her earlier. Her body had almost entirely hollowfied sans her right leg, right arm and the right side of her face. As Rikujokoro shattered with her last effort Sayori stared at the duo, panting and growling low. Byakuya could tell that she was losing herself to the hollow inside of her and that was _definitely_ not good. He had to do something, but he couldn't as long as Aizen was there. No matter how skilled he was as a captain, there was no way he could focus on these two things at one time. Aizen had to die first. There was no way around it. He just hoped that Sayori could hold on a little longer.

Calling his bankai back and gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, Byakuya prepared for a desperate move that he was sure would end this nightmare once and for all. If he could combine Utsesemi with Senka, he might have a chance of killing him.

Unfortunately, his strategy was ended when Byakuya felt a deep slash across the back of his left shoulder. Utterly stunned, the suave fighter looked back to see that Sayori had finished the Hollowfication process. Her soft, buttery brown skin was now pure white and hard. Her face had been completely masked. Jet black markings covered her white shell and a hole had formed on the right side of her chest. However, what he noticed most were her eyes. The soft and sensual cerulean eyes he had known for so many years had turned completely yellow. They also held animalistic rage. No shred of humanity could be seen in those eyes.

"Sayori," the noble breathed, trying to fight the pain from the wound she had inflicted. "Fight it. Do not be consumed. You have to fight." His words didn't seem to affect the vasto lorde before him. She cried loudly before coming after him again. Byakuya quickly flash stepped away before she could get him. Irate that she missed, she attempted to strike again only to miss again. If Byakuya had been even a fraction slower, she definitely would have gotten him. He was astounded at how much faster and stronger Sayori had become after transforming into a vasto lorde.

"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six. Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro." The six beams of spiritual energy enclosed the hollow, once again pinning her arms by her sides. He made sure to recite the incantation this time so the spell would double in its strength. Her warbling voice shrieked as she fought against her restraints. Byakuya quickly tried to search for an answer of what he should do. He had to knock her out of this state before she lost herself forever. If that happened, then he would have no choice but to kill her before she killed him and attacked others. _Ichigo has transformed a few times in the past. So how did he break free from the hollows grip?_

Byakuya's thoughts were immediately cut short as he noticed a bright, peach colored ball of energy forming at the vasto lorde's lips as she continued to cry in a fit of rage. The warrior's eyes widened, realizing what was coming his way. "Cero!"

Before she released the deadly attack, she shattered the Rikujokoro, breaking free. Her cero came flying afterwards, which Byakuya barely dodged. The bottom of his captain's haori was singed. Quickly jumping back to his feet to defend himself, his heart skipped a beat when he realized that the hollow had gone from where he last saw her. Before he could even think about turning around, the murderous woman gored him from behind, leaving a deep slash on his right side.

Feeling intense pain, Byakuya feel to his knees. Usually able to keep his composure, he couldn't hide the fact that he had been gotten good. He groaned in anguish and clutched his wound that was steadily pouring blood. He could do nothing but look up in trepidation as the menos leisurely stalked him. Her growls were low but just as menacing as before. Her eyes still held murderous intent. She was going to kill him. There was no doubt about it.

"Sayori! Thi . . . this isn't . . . you. Fight . . . Aizen's . . . trap . . . Sayori . . . please," he pleaded, his breathing labored. He felt as if all hope was lost when she lifted her arm for the killing blow. However before it swung forward to strike him, it stopped. His eyes widened as the vasto lorde's demeanor became frantic. Sayori had heard her best friend's pleas and had seen his pain. She still had her humanity and was doing her best to fight off the hollow' control.

Byakuya watched in both amazement and horror. It was like what happened in his battle with Ichigo. He saw the same fight in her that he saw in him. Conversely, that time, Ichigo hadn't fully hollowfied. He didn't know if Sayori would be able to break free from the vasto lorde's grip. Not to mention that he had to stop his intense bleeding before he died anyway. It wasn't looking too good for either of them.

"Roar! Zabimaru!"

Byakuya's eyes widened as Zabimaru's long blade launched at the hollow. She yelped in pain as she went flying backward several feet. As she slid against the ground, Renji hurried and flash stepped to her fallen body. He pinned her to the ground by placing a foot firmly on her chest and put Zabimaru's tip just under her mask.

"Say – ori," he grunted as he pulled as hard as he could. "Snap . . . out of it! You're going to . . . kill . . . my captain!" His eyes closed and he used every ounce of his strength to yank the mask off of the woman. With a combined effort of his strength and her will, he finally did. Sayori gasped loudly and panted as the white shell slowly began to crumble. Her hellish eyes gradually returned to the soft cerulean blue that she was known for. Her twisted spiritual pressure returned to normal. Her clothing was tattered and her body looked like it had gone under a lot of stress. Clutching her heart she tried to steady her breathing. She tried to remember where she was as she noticed five strong reiatsu near her. She looked a little off to her side and her heart dropped when she saw the bloody form of her best friend, lying on the ground in agony. He was about to lose consciousness as Setsuna desperately tried to help him by using the healing kido Yume had taught them during her Squad Four days. Rukia and Renji looked worried and Arisu was in shock. Staring down at the mask fragments around her knees, she instantly knew what had happened.

"B-Byakuya?" she barely got out, her voice cracking. Rukia jerked her head around when she heard the woman say her brother's name. The anger she felt was clearly visible.

"You! You did this! You're a hollow?! Are you working with Aizen?! We sensed his reiatsu here!" It was then and only then did Byakuya notice that Aizen was nowhere to be found. He had escaped through the garganta halfway during Byakuya and Sayori's fight when he felt the approaching reiatsu of Renji and the others.

"Stop . . . Rukia." Rukia looked down at her brother who had grabbed her wrist as the petite woman had started to reach for Sode no Shirayuki.

"Nii-sama?"

"She's not . . . with Aizen. Aizen . . . did this . . . to her. Do not . . . fight . . . Sayori." Byakuya groaned as the pain shot through him with great intensity. His breathing became more arduous and he broke out into a cold sweat. Setsuna's breath hitched and she bit her lip.

"This kido isn't working," she said, starting to panic. Renji removed his kosode and placed it against his captain's worst wound.

"We need to get him to Squad Four immediately or he'll die. Let's hurry." Everyone nodded their heads as Renji helped Byakuya to his feet and propped him up on his side. He quickly flash stepped toward the Seireitei. Rukia and Arisu followed. Setsuna remained in her position looking at her sibling who was still frozen on the ground, staring blankly into the space in front of her. The look on her face tugged at Setsuna's heart strings. Never in all of her years had she seen her look so broken. Any resentment she had felt toward her elder sister died right then. She loved her sister no matter what and she hated to see her like that.

Setsuna slowly stood and walked over to where Sayori was planted firmly in the dirt. Lowering herself to sit beside her, she placed a hand on her bare shoulder. Her skin was cold and trembling. "Onee-chan?" she softly said, her voice full of concern.

Setsuna had only seen her sister cry when somebody died. No matter how badly she had been emotionally scarred or how much she had been injured, no tears ever fell from her eyes. The only exception to this was the night she was sealed away in the world of the living. Now there was another exception added to the list.

The two young shinigami held onto each other tightly in the crisp fall air. Setsuna stroked her sister's back gently as they sat there in the dark, Sayori's sobs the only sounds to be heard.

* * *

**_A/N: Awwww :(_**

**_Next chapter will have the long needed talk between Sayori and Setsuna and another long needed talk between Sayori and Byakuya. _****_SPOILER: _****_One of these will end sexually. Guess which one! :D lol._**

**_Thank you all for reading and especially thank you to my reviewers. Update should be soon, barring any unforeseen circumstances :)_**


	18. Sex Therapy

_**A/N: Thank you my faithful reviewers! I greatly appreciate the support :)**_

**_So when we last left, Sayori had turned all vasto lorde on Byakuya and almost killed him. Let's see where that will leave them . . ._ **

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen **

It was an understatement to say that the Captain Commander was furious when Byakuya did not show up to the underground prison promptly at ten. That anger only intensified when an hour had passed and still had not arrived. If he wasn't so upset about the blatant disregard for his orders, Genryusai Yamaomoto may have considered how unusual it was for Byakuya to be tardy, much less for him to defy direct orders.

Determined to ascertain the reason behind the man's insubordination, he sent the first division lieutenant to the Squad Six barracks. When Sasakibe informed him that the whereabouts of Byakuya _and_ Renji were unknown, he ordered a Seireitei wide search to all first division members.

Upon learning that Byakuya was currently strapped to a hospital bed in Squad Four's barracks, he immediately went there to lecture the two officers. Byakuya regarded his superior with weary eyes which did little to quell Yamamoto's irritation.

"How dare you children make me chase after you? The arrogance of it all."

"Soutaicho, good morning, Sir," Byakuya respectfully greeted. Renji promptly stood and bowed.

"Well at least you have an explanation as to why you did not escort Sayori Shihoin to the prison earlier. However, it does not explain why you didn't have your fukutaicho bring her."

"That is because I had no intention of bringing her." Yamamoto's annoyed eyes successfully managed to mask the surprise he felt from the man's disrespect.

"What was that? You had no intention? Kuchiki-taicho, I am surprised by this defiance. You should be ashamed."

"Soutaicho, please sit."

"I certainly will not."

"Sosuke Aizen was behind the murder of Ito-taicho." Yamamoto's long eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Aizen?" he repeated, finally heeding Byakuya's request and sitting in the chair that Renji had just vacated.

"I encountered Sosuke Aizen with Sayori late last night in Yachiyo. He fully confessed to her that he impersonated Ito-taicho the night of her murder leading Sayori to believe that the real Ito-taicho had been the one who wanted to assassinate her sister." Yamamoto listened intently as Byakuya explained everything that happened the night before. He did, however, omit the part about Sayori's hollowfictation. While the elderly man had softened on this subject due to Ichigo's presence, Byakuya still did not want to compromise her.

"Soutaicho, Sir, " Yamamoto heard the voice of his lieutenant speak, "we have heard reports from other officers confirming the presence of Sosuke Aizen's reiatsu last night. However, they say that it appeared and disappeared so fast that they didn't have time to investigate the matter themselves."

"Alright," Yamamoto conceded after Sasakibe enlightened him to that news. "I will indefinitely postpone Sayori's incarceration. At least until I have had the opportunity to determine what course of strategy we should take next. Because Cho Hidaka has lost her powers as a shinigami and is of noble status, I am hesitant to say that I am allowed to take action against her and her house. I am a little foggy on this particular law, so I would ask that you delegate the task of learning that law to your lieutenant while you recover."

"Yes, Soutaicho."

"It's my honor, Soutaicho," Renji respectfully said as he bowed. Byakuya felt a warm sense of relief shower him as his superior exited the room with Sasakibe. He wasn't sure how the story would end, but at least for that moment, he had managed to save Sayori.

* * *

Sayori had not seen Byakuya since the incident that happened the night before. She couldn't face him after seeing how badly she had hurt him during hollowfication. She got updates about his recovery from Renji, who was also the one to inform her that her incarceration had been postponed. Renji tried to reassure her that his captain was making a speedy recovery and that Unohana would be able to fully heal him before dinnertime. However the redhead's words did little to sate the guilt in her heart.

She sat there alone in the large guest room, staring at a book of old calligraphy that she and Byakuya made during their adolescence. She flipped through the pages, amused at how sloppy they used to be with their Kanji. She couldn't believe that he had kept the book after so many years. Then again, he kept everything, she noticed; stuff from their Shino Academy days, to from his marriage, to Rukia's Chappy drawings. He kept them all neatly on the large bookshelves in his bedroom.

"Nee-chan?" The soft voice of her little sister grabbed Sayori's ear. Closing the book and setting it to the side, she greeted the slim girl with a smile as she came through the door.

"Konichiwa, Hime. What's up? I haven't seen you today." Setsuna came over and sat on the red cushion by her.

"I just came back from the Squad Six barracks with Renji. Arisu and I decided to help him with Byakuya-sama's duties this morning."

"Oh, I see."

"Byakuya-sama asked about you. He wanted to make sure that you were okay." Sayori felt her heart twinge a bit. She forced a smile.

"That's sweet but I think he should be focusing on his own recovery."

"I think he will be fine, really. Didn't Renji tell you that he should be home by this evening? He said he would."

"He did. He came by about an hour or so ago." She turned to look outside of the open shoji doors that led to Byakuya's massive, private garden. "Boy, the koi sure sound lively today. I think I might have tea out there later."

"Why are you avoiding Byakuya-sama?" Setsuna candidly asked. Sayori instantly turned to her, surprised by her bluntness. She forced another smile.

"What do you mean? I'm not _avoiding_ him." Setsuna threw her head back and groaned.

"Ugggh. Why do you always do that, Nee-chan?"

"Do what?" Setsuna gestured with her hands.

"That! You always try to hide your emotions from people who love you."

"What? You guys always know when I'm happy or angry. I _clearly_ let y'all know."

"Yeah, but when it comes to the deep, emotional stuff, you don't let anyone in. Not Byakuya-sama, not me. I mean, you _used_ to talk to Mai-nii about _everything_. But why won't you open up to _us_?" The younger girl's rant caught Sayori by surprise. She struggled to respond.

"That was different. Nii-chan was tough with me and refused to leave me alone until I talked to him. One time, he locked me in the Kido Corps barracks until I talked." She chuckled softly. "That's what I miss most about him; his protective ways. That's why I try not to show too much emotion around you. I felt like I had to be strong because it was my job to protect you after Nii-chan and Tou-san died. You used to be so sensitive and timid and I felt that if I showed any weaknesses around you, it would only worsen that. So I fought the negative and tried to always keep a happy face in front of you. As for Byakuya . . . it's just . . . different."

"You don't have to hide how you feel from me, Nee-chan. I'm stronger than you think and I can handle a lot more than I let on." She reached down and grabbed her hand. "Byakuya-sama told me and everyone else what Aizen said. Why didn't you tell me about what happened to you that night? Why didn't you just tell me your reason for taking me to the World of the Living? If you would have just told me, I could have helped you. I would have chosen to stay here." Sayori lowered her head. Her voice became soft and remorseful.

"You're right. It was wrong for me not to give you a say. I dishonored you as a shinigami and as my clan leader by doing that. I truly apologize."

"It's alright. I realize now that you had no bad intentions." The two became silent for a moment. Setsuna sighed. "Is it true . . . is it true that Cho-itokosan is behind all of this?" Sayori shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't know if Aizen was bullshitting or not. Byakuya and Miu-nee did say that they felt something was off with Cho, so it is possible. Plus, in retrospect, it does seem odd that Aizen would have targeted you specifically and not me_. Ugh!_ Who knows? My head hurts just thinking about it."

"Well, I know _one_ thing. I damn sure want to find out if it's true. I can't believe she would do this. I was so afraid when you told me to wait in the World of the Living and at Miu-nee's old house that night. You were acting so strange. You wouldn't give me details or anything." Sayori raised an eyebrow.

"Miu-nee's house? I never took you to Miu-nee's that night." Setsuna's eyes widened.

"Yes you did. I remember that after you left, I was pacing the floor trying to find out what was going on. I even remember the smell. Her house still smelled like yuzu even though she had been gone for years." Sayori's confused look did not waiver.

"Nooo . . . the only places I took you that night were to Kukaku Shiba's, Urahara's and to Sapporo. We didn't go to Jakura that night. I think you have that night and another confused, Hime." Setsuna felt that she had her timeline correct but maybe her sister did have a point. Unohana-taicho _had_ said that sometimes her memories may get jumbled as she recovered from her amnesia. Maybe those really were two separate nights.

"But it is like you said," Sayori continued, bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top. "I really do need to find out one way or another if Cho did this." Setsuna shook her head.

"_We _need to find out. From here on out, you and I are in this thing together. So don't you ever and I mean _ever_ hide anything else like this from me again, okay?" Sayori chuckled as she wrapped an arm around her baby sister.

"Alright. I promise." She kissed her on the cheek. She sighed and shook her head. "Damn. Look at how all of this has changed us. _I'm_ the one who's been a crybaby and _you're_ the one out here showing everyone your balls." They both laughed.

"I told you I was stronger than you think."

"I know. I'm so proud at how tough you have become. You would have made an awesome clan leader and I am so sorry that I took that from you."

"It's okay Nee-chan, really," Setsuna said as she stood to her feet. Sayori followed. "I forgive you. And Byakuya-sama does too, you know." The blue haired woman dropped her gaze. "Just go by and see him, Nee-chan. He's not an unreasonable man. After talking with him, nobody blames you for what happened. Well . . . Rukia might still be a _little_ pissed, but she understands because the same thing has happened to Ichigo from what I hear." Smiling warmly she reached out and gave the slightly taller woman a tight hug. Sayori softly stroked the back of her head.

"I love you, Nee-chan."

"I love you too, Hime." Setsuna quietly walked out of the room, long raven ponytail swinging behind her. As Sayori listened to her feet fade, she slowly sat back down on the red cushion. Nothing about their talk changed how she felt. Byakuya was still the very last person she wanted to see. If she could go the rest of her time at the Kuchiki Manor without seeing him, she would. However, she knew that it was an unlikely case.

* * *

Byakuya had to commend Retsu Unohana's healing ability. To take a life threatening injury and turn into nothing showed why she was so respected with her ranks. As expected, Byakuya was released shortly before dinnertime. However, his duties at the Squad Six office had been so pressing that he was not able to make it back to the manor until late that night, having to eat dinner at the barracks with Renji instead. After taking a long hot bath, the Kuchiki clan leader decided to take his traditional late night walk before turning in.

It had to be near twelve and he had yet to see Sayori. He had heard through the grapevine that she had been avoiding him on purpose because she still felt guilty for injuring him. While he thought it was asinine for her to feel that way, he decided not to bother her for the time being. Knowing her as well as he did, he knew that she would never show him her vulnerable side. She'd much rather withdraw for a while until she felt better.

When he finished his walk, Byakuya decided to rest and sit on the walkway outside of the private quarters and watch the stars. The cool, fall sky was crystal clear making the moon and the many constellations all the more brighter. As his mind drifted, the sound of soft moaning caught his ear. He looked over his shoulder and tried to determine if it was Rukia or Sayori making the noise. For his own sake, he _sincerely_ hoped it wasn't the former. Two more moans told him that it was Sayori and they didn't really sound like moans of pleasure. Walking over to her bedroom, he slid the doors open to see her lying in her futon with a look of distress on her sleeping face. Her nails tore into the covers and her head slightly thrashed from side to side. Her night yukata had opened slightly and a soft sheen of sweat coated her cleavage.

Walking over to her, he kneeled and shook her shoulder. "Sayori. Wake up." When she didn't open her eyes, he shook her harder. "Wake up," he repeated a little louder and firmer. Gasping and cerulean eyes flying open, Sayori awoke from her nightmare. As she gazed upon the handsome man's face, it took her a minute to realize if she was still dreaming or not. When she realized who had woken her, she wanted to bolt for the door.

"B – Byakuya? What are you doing here?" she asked, wiping her eyes and clutching her yukata.

"You were having a nightmare so I came to check on you. What were you dreaming about?" She sighed and put a hand to her forehead. It was warmer than usual.

"Aizen performing hollowfication over and over on me and I go out and kill the whole Seireitei." Quivering her lip, Byakuya could see that the dream was all too real for her.

"It was simply a nightmare."

"I know . . . but . . ." Byakuya stared down at the woman's hands that wrung nervously. It had been a very, very, _very_ long time since he saw any lack of confidence on Sayori. He could tell that her mind and heart were in turmoil and he simply did not think it was best if she was alone right then. He didn't know if the hollow inside of her might take advantage of this stress, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"Come," he told her as he stood to his feet, extending his hand. She tilted her head.

"Come?"

"Come sleep in my bed tonight. I don't want to leave you by yourself." He could easily see her hesitation. "If you refuse, I simply will sleep in this bed with you. However, if it's all the same to you, I would prefer to be in mine. So, come." As she looked up at him, she knew that he was not going to back down. She had no choice. Taking his hand to stand, she quietly followed him into his bedroom.

-.-.-

Byakuya's futon was very soft, but Sayori had never been so uncomfortable in her life. She lied faced in the opposite direction, staring at the floral screen doors that led to his closet. Out of all the times she had been in his bed, it had never been awkward. How was she supposed to sleep if she felt _this_ uncomfortable?

"Why are you being so awkward with me?" she suddenly heard the sultry baritone of the man behind her say in the crisp silence. Sayori pretended not to hear him to bide some time.

"H – huh?"

"You heard me clearly. Why have you been avoiding me? Why do you lay here now with such tenseness?" He turned onto his other side and stared at the back of her head. "Did not Renji or Setsuna tell you my thoughts on the situation? I heard that both visited you today." She bit bottom her lip.

"They did."

"Well?" She didn't answer him. She kept staring at the closet doors, hoping he would drop the subject. Much to her chagrin, he didn't. "Look at me," he demanded, his voice firm and orderly. She didn't budge. Byakuya propped himself up on his left hand and used his other to grab her by the chin. Before she knew it, she was staring in his calm, gray eyes. Hers roamed, trying to look elsewhere. "I don't know why you refuse to look at me. I've already told you that I'm not angry at the attack last night. I am fully aware that you have not learned to control what Aizen did to you. Perhaps Ichigo Kurosaki can help you. From my understanding, he has learned to control his hollow."

"I'm not worried about you being angry with me," she said in a soft voice. He let go of her face.

"Then what is it? Why have you been avoiding me so?"

"I – I just don't want to be around you right now. Why is this even an issue? I thought you would be happy that I'm out of your hair."

"Foolish. Why would I be happy that my own best friend is so scared of me that she won't even come see me when I'm in the infirmary?"

"I'm your best friend again? Last time I checked, you still haven't forgiven me for twenty five years ago."

"The circumstances have changed."

"Keh, only because Aizen confessed. It's funny how you listened to a traitor but not your _best friend_."

"So is that what this is? You've been avoiding me because _you_ are the one who's angry?" Sayori groaned and sat up, staring down at Byakuya with an upset glare.

"It's a lot of things, Byakuya. It's . . . ah no. Forget it."

"No." Byakuya firmly said, sitting as well. "If you talk, I will listen." She hesitantly and briefly looked at him before staring at her lap. She could feel her tear ducts preparing for work, but she refused to cry. _Not now. Not in front of him._

"I have been angry at you for the last twenty five years of my life. When you refused to help me that night, it hurt me so badly. So yes, I suppose I am still a little bitter about that. But that is not why I have been avoiding you." Byakuya stared at her as she talked, patiently listening to her pour her heart. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, resisting the tears that taunted her.

"I've been avoiding you because I can't stop thinking about how I almost murdered _another_ innocent person. It's funny how I've been pissed at you for so many years because you didn't believe me when I said Kazumi tried to kill Setsuna and it turns out that you were right all along." She shook her head and quenched her eyes, trying with all her might to fight the tears. Unfortunately for her, her emotions had their own will. "I should have listened to you. You were right, I shouldn't have just rushed in and I should have waited to see what was what. But no, my dumbass just went on ahead and did what the fuck I was going to do and look at what happened. I took twenty five years of happiness away from my sister, I murdered an innocent woman, I got a psycho hollow living in me and I almost murdered my best friend." She inhaled deeply as she choked back a sob, the tears now freely streaming down her face. "So I guess what I mean to say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry about blaming you for my exile and I'm sorry for hurting you last night. I'm sorry for fucking up our friendship. But I can't take it back. I wish I could take back _all _of it, _especially_ Kazumi's death."

Byakuya watched quietly as the woman freely sobbed beside him. It had been a long time since he'd seen her vulnerable side and it gave him his own sense of sadness. No matter how high his own walls were built, he had a tender spot for the ones he loved. Yes, he may have been angry at Sayori for the last twenty five years. Perhaps it was true that bitterness had grown over time, even before the infamous incident. Yet and still, he never once stopped loving her. She was his rock. She had been with him through almost everything. Not even something like this tragedy could deter his love and high opinion for her.

As if close contact was natural for both, Sayori laid her head on Byakuya's shoulder when he wrapped his arm around her. He squeezed her tightly before speaking calmly and honestly. "We both were wrong that night. Yes, perhaps you should have listened to me. At the same time, I should have listened to you. You had a credible threat and I should have at least checked it out. I don't know how differently things could have gone, since it was Aizen behind all of this, but what's in the past is done. We can't change it, we can only go forward. We both did what we thought was the right thing to do. It may have been a mistake but to dwell upon things we can't change is both imprudent and a waste of time. What we have to focus on now is taking down Aizen and Cho for what they did. If anyone is to blame, it should be them." He heard her sobs ease. He softly stroked her arm to calm her.

"If I'm candid with you like you were with me, then I will tell you this. I have deeply missed you over these years, Say-chan. Even before your banishment, I missed you. I was somewhat resentful because you chose Zi over being my lieutenant . . . and that is why I didn't help you that night. My foolish pride got in the way, so for that I apologize." Sayori nodded as she bit back tears. Byakuya felt a little . . . strange that he couldn't console her. He never was one that was good at cheering others up. Even when Hisana would become distraught about finding Rukia, he had difficulty bringing her out of her sorrows. Even now with Rukia, it was usually always Renji or that human boy who brought the smile back to her face. He didn't want to see Sayori hurt anymore. So, he decided to do what he always did when Hisana would get like that.

Moving his arm lower to grip her waist, Byakuya held onto the woman tighter as he placed light kisses on her tear stained cheeks. Sayori instantly relaxed against him, neither startled nor put off by his uncharacteristic intimacy. Slowly but surely, she began to calm down as his lips traced her jawline, her ear and her neck. Realizing that she had soothed, Byakuya pulled back and met her reddened gaze. It held for a few moments. They didn't have to say a single word to each other. They both knew. They both felt it. Whether it was a deeper love blossoming or just an intense need to reconnect, neither cared to analyze it at the moment. They just knew that it was time and it was going to happen right then. Right now.

He leaned forward and lightly nipped her lips. Sayori responded moving her own lips at the same gentle pace. His lips were softer than she remembered and he tasted just as sweet as he did fifty years ago when they last kissed. His excitement building, Byakuya pulled Sayori closer to him until she took the hint and straddled his lap. At the same time, he deepened the kiss, managing to slide his tongue between her lips. She moaned softly as she lightly grinded against him causing him to respond with a low grunt. She clutched the shoulders of his casual haori tightly before sliding it off his body. Helping her remove it, he skillfully untied the obi holding her yukata together. She did not shy away nor did she feel nervous when he took in the sight of her ample and soft chest. They were just like _he_ remembered.

Byakuya kept his eyes on hers, watching her reactions as he explored them, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over her nipples while he kneaded them with a firm touch. Biting her bottom lip, her eyes fluttered closed as waves of pleasure whirled through her; her own arousal beginning to show. Sayori let strands of long black hair cascade between her fingers as the Kuchiki lord leaned forward and took her erect nipples between his lips. She pulled his hair as she moaned, loving every moment of his touch. He could feel the gem between her legs become more saturated with desire for him. She didn't know how much foreplay she could take. She wanted him now and by the way she felt him growing beneath her hips, it seems that he felt the same.

"Bya-kun," she moaned breathlessly pulling his hair harder so he'd look at her. Byakuya moaned. He loved having his hair pulled and it took everything in him to resist throwing her down and taking her right then. He liked to think he had more self-control. Sayori grabbed one of his hands from her breasts and slowly guided it down her figure until they reached her panties. Taking the lead, his hand dipped behind the black fabric and began to tease her most sensitive spot. He groaned at how wet she had become and she moaned as he painstakingly stroked her.

"It this how you want it?" his sensual and desire filled baritone asked, gliding his tongue over her ear before teasing the inside. Sayori whimpered and nodded, grinding her hips down on his hand. He smirked upon hearing that particular whimper. He had found another one of her sensitive spots. He wanted to hear it again. Sure enough more and more of the whimpers filled the room as he rapidly flicked his tongue over her ear while speeding up his fingers. She let out a long, breathless moan. Her body heat steadily rose.

It wasn't much longer when her nails dug into his yukata as her thighs trembled against his, her cries of pleasure gradually increasing in volume and pitch.

"B – Byakuya." She whimpered his name a few times as the climax reverberated within her. She watched him as he slowly removed his hand from her core and tasted her essence. As she fell against his shoulder, struggling to catch her breath, Byakuya continued to wander his strong hands over her body, curious to discover every sensitive spot that she had kept secret from him.

In addition to her breasts, neck and ears, he learned that she would react erotically if he squeezed her rear and if he stroked her thighs. Her amatory fever at its limit, Sayori couldn't wait any longer to have him inside of her. Hands still shaking from the orgasm, Sayori anxiously pulled at his obi, her fingers too shaky to get a good grip. Byakuya smirked as he grabbed her wrists.

"Slow down. There's no need to rush anything tonight," he said before reclaiming her lips. Like a pill to an ache, Byakuya knew where to go. He knew just how to both excite her when he needed to and calm her when he needed to. Holding onto to her, Byakuya flipped them over to lay her flat on her back. She watched intensely as he undid his obi, amazed at how she wasn't able to do something so simple herself. A few movements later and he had freed himself of his both his powder blue yukata and his underwear. Sayori gazed upon his nude form. His toned physique and creamy skin looked even better now than they had fifty years prior. The only thing new to her was his secret, his _well-kept_ secret, which was erect and ready to play.

After removing her final layer of clothing that hid her own secret, Byakuya leaned back down to taste his chocolate treat, her legs automatically spreading for him. She moaned against his lips while he teased her by rubbing himself between her folds but not dipping in. She was _dripping_ with want and need and his teasing only made it worse. He soon gave her what she wanted.

Byakuya relished in the tremble that shook throughout her body and the whimper that left her lips when he finally united with her. Her hands instantly flew around his neck as he began his rhythm. His _thick_ strokes were slow and _long_, taking his time trying to see how she rode to his beat. She told him so much yet said no words as she writhed beneath him; her back arching, legs trembling, her body damp with a light coat of sweat.

It was all so surreal to her. She couldn't believe that they were finally at this place after so long. So many laughs, tears, fights and words left unsaid. She couldn't help but be a little incredulous by the living fantasy.

She sighed deeply as she placed her hands on either cheek, bringing his lips down to meet hers, his hair curtaining them. Foreheads meeting, Byakuya watched her bottom lip quiver as his pace quickened ever so slightly. He was in no rush. He wanted to savor this moment just as much as she did. He buried his face in her neck, the scent of her lavender shampoo filling his nose as the loose strands pooled in the crook. Sayori shuddered, skin tingling, feeling his warm breath moan against her. He didn't try to hide his pleasure as more and more of his moans filled her ear causing her to become even more aroused and moan in response.

"A – Ah … Sayori . . ." He said her name completely breathless, his mind completely in sex mode. He tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling the locks gently. Her long tongue glided over his collar and plump lips sucked at his neck drawing more and more encouraging moans from him.

Wrapping her long legs around his waist, she arched her hips up allowing him to plunge deeper. Crescendoing passionate cries sang in the silence as he quickened his pace once more. Pinning her wrists to the bed, Byakuya watched every inch of her figure react to his thrusts. He watched her eyes glaze over with bliss. The way they shined in the dimly lit room in contrast to her dark skin was almost unbearable.

A string of swears left her lips as she continued to ride with him. Their liaison had since passed the hour mark and the toll of Byakuya's lethal strokes was coming upon her. Toes curling, back arching, bodies dripping sweat, lips swollen from the non-stop kissing and sucking, Sayori neared her peak. Byakuya knew it when her thighs began to tremble. He looked up to see that her eyes were sewed shut.

"Open your eyes," his said, his voice a little hoarse. He wanted to see how those eyes would look when she climaxed again. Firmly focused on his steely orbs, Sayori cried out in intense pleasure as the second orgasm she had been fighting shook through her. Byakuya followed, his body trembling as he released against her thigh. Collapsing just off to her side, the two laid motionless, struggling for air. Sayori ran a single hand through her hair, rendered speechless. _Wow ._

She relaxed and buried her face in his chest when he reached over after a few moments to cuddle her. Their hands continued to explore each other as they tried to regain their energy. After so many years of denying themselves this moment, neither was ready to turn in just yet. Besides, Byakuya liked seeing this demure side of her and he planned on seeing it until dawn called him for his duties. She was already his captive for the night and she would continue to be his again. And again. And again.

* * *

**Me: Ohhh snap! Byakuya, you put it _down_. High five!**

**Byakuya: . . .**

**Me: . . . ^_^'**

**A/N: Alright I hope y'all enjoyed that long awaited smut lol. It's been a while since I've written sex scenes so I hope I wasn't _too_ rusty. I shall update this fic within June. Thank you for reading and review, review, review please :D**


	19. Irreplaceable

_**Thank you for the recent adds and follows! :D Shout out to Yuukiyanagi for the review! Glad to see you back chica :3  
**_

_**Agh, this chapter was so hard to write because it was like . . . "Okay, they did it . . . what do I do now?" lmao. But I finally finished it. It may be a little boring, but it's kind of a set up for the finale drama. In the original story plan, the next chapter would have been the finale. However, as it stands right now, this story will be either 24 or 25 chapters long. So we don't have too much more to go before the finale!**_

_**I'm also going to be editing some older chapters this weekend in order to fix some minor inconsistencies. No major details will be affected, just some cannon timing and locations of events. Things tend to get screwed up when it takes you three years to finish a story lol.**_

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

**63 Years Ago . . .**

"Bakudo 62: Hyapporankan!"

Cho groaned and winced as several light blue rods of spirit energy pinned her to the wall of the fifth division training grounds. She lightly growled at the smirking, blue-eyed eighth seat before her as she began to remove some of the rods from her clothing.

"You didn't have to use the incantation, you know. Even without it, you could have easily executed that spell with enough power." Sayori grinned mischievously as she walked over to help the third seat pull out the rods.

"Sorry, but I had to prove to our captain that I'm better than you." Cho narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a grin similar to her cousin's.

"I see. So, really, you just wanted to be a dick, eh?" Sayori laughed as she yanked out another rod.

"I guess you could say that." As the sound of clapping interrupted their playful banter, both ladies looked up to regard their smiling superior as he approached them.

"Very good, Hidaka-kun. You are greatly improving on your execution." He reached over and pulled out the last rod that held Cho to the wall. "I'm sure that your cousin would agree, right Cho-chan?" Feeling the heat rise to her face, Cho crossed her arms and turned her head. She always felt butterflies whenever her captain would look at her with those warm, brown eyes.

"I guess she's getting better." Sayori smiled widely before bowing in respect.

"Thank you for the compliment, Aizen-taicho. I'm honored to have your tutelage." Aizen smiled softly as he gently ruffled the slender girl's hair. She giggled in response to the affection, which earned a glare from Cho that did not go unnoticed by Sayori. Nor did it go unnoticed by Aizen. As he briefly regarded the envious look in the normally sugary cerulean eyes of his recently promoted third seat, he realized that Cho could become a valuable asset to his private affairs. She was highly skilled at kido, being the best among her clan in the art. Not to mention that she was very loyal. Now it appeared that she was beginning to gain some affection for him. Yes, Cho would be useful indeed.

"I shall take my leave. I need to meet up with Ichimaru-fukutaicho now, but you ladies keep on practicing. Both of you are doing an excellent job."

"Thank you, Aizen-taicho," both of the young women replied, bowing in unison. Aizen nodded before turning to leave. Sayori and Cho watched the charming and kind captain as he walked off into the distance, his haori blowing in the wind behind him. When he had disappeared, Sayori turned to her cousin and playfully nudged her side.

"Someone likes tai~cho," she teased the shorter woman in a sing-song voice. Cho could feel the heat rise again. She turned to her cousin flustered.

"W-what? No I don't."

"Yea you do, don't lie. I saw how you looked at him during training. I also saw how you gave me the evil eye when he played with my hair. You don't have to be jealous, you know. I'm not into Aizen-taicho like that."

"Who said anything about being jealous?! I don't like him!" Sayori laughed.

"Then why are you yelling? You know that you only get defensive like this when you've been found out." Cho was thankful that her coloring was dark. Otherwise, she would have definitely given herself away with the blush that clung to her face.

"S – Shut up, Sayo." Sayori laughed again, throwing an arm around Cho's shoulder.

"Aww, it's okay to have a little crush on the captain. You don't have to be embarrassed about it. I think it's kind of cute. Aizen-taicho is a good catch. Hey, you're a hot girl so he might be interested too."

At this point, Cho felt like her face was on fire. The more her cousin talked, the more embarrassed she felt. Sayori always wondered why Cho became so bashful whenever someone would praise her beauty. With her striking blue eyes, that were a little lighter than her own, flawless cocoa brown skin, more defined curves, and back length, lustrous, black tresses, Sayori had always thought that the shinigami's beauty surpassed her own.

"I don't think its proper protocol for an officer to date her captain. A relationship between the two of us would be frowned upon." Sayori sighed and shook her head.

"Wow, if you didn't sound_ just_ like Byakuya right then. I'm going to need for you two to lighten up." Cho grinned and moved out from the taller girl's arm before taking a few steps away.

"We should continue practicing like Aizen-taicho requested," she said, changing the subject.

"Alright. Hit me with your best shot, itoko-chan." Sayori stood with her arms outstretched, trying to prove to the woman that she was not afraid. Cho smirked.

"Bakudo 63: Sajo Sabaku!"

* * *

**Present**

Sayori yawned and stretched as she slowly began to greet the sunlight late that morning. Eyes still closed, she smiled to herself as she noticed that Byakuya's scent still clung to her skin. A shiver went down her spine as all of the erotic scenes from their multiple love-making sessions flashed in her memory. Being so stoic, she would have _never _thought he could be that passionate.

Turning on her side to cuddle closer to her new lover, Sayori's smile faded upon seeing that he was gone. Instead a note rested on his pillow. Reading the small piece of paper, she learned that he had left earlier to go down to the Daireishokairo to do research for the soutaicho. She was relieved that he hadn't just left without a word. Setting the note back down, she flopped back on her back and stared at the ceiling, body both relaxed and sore from the hours of love making. As she continued to relish their newly established relationship, reality started to sink in as well. What did this mean now? Certainly their relationship had been forever changed by last night. So what were they? Were they together? Were they just friends with benefits? How does he even feel? Deciding that she would go pay him a visit, Sayori left Byakuya's bed and redressed in the white yukata before she went on to get ready for the day.

-.-.-

Byakuya could barely keep his eyes open as he browsed through law books while sitting quietly at one of the desks in the great library. The exhausted captain had only been able to get one or two hours of sleep before he had to wake up and begin his day. He was surprised that he was able to get dressed without Sayori waking up. She had always been a light sleeper in the past. However he figured that she was also exhausted from the night before.

As he thought about how smooth her skin felt against his, the way she moaned in his ear, the way she held onto him as if he was her only life force, Byakuya found it very hard to concentrate on his work. Folding his arms on the desk and burying his face in the small space they created, Byakuya decided that he would take a quick power nap. It was pointless for him to continue his work when he was so distracted and so tired.

"Sleeping on the job?" Byakuya barely lifted his head off the desk, slightly turning to see Sayori walking over to him. She had a beautiful smile on her mocha toned face, her azure eyes were bright and cheery and the gold toned yukata she wore fit her beautifully. Her midnight blue hair had soft, loose curls.

"Just a brief rest is all," Byakuya replied, his voice as tired as his expression. Sayori smirked as she sat down in the wood chair across from him.

"Would you like some help?"

"No thank you. I believe I can manage on my own as soon as I get my energy back. Besides, I don't think soutaicho would approve you touching the records. In fact, I'm surprised that you were able to get inside of here." He laid his head back down.

"Ukitake-sensei escorted me in," she explained while gently playing with his hair that lay sprawled across the table. Byakuya did not move as he felt her soft ministrations, the soothing fingers relaxing him.

"I see."

"Have you been able to find anything so far?" Byakuya shook his head.

"Not quite. I've found some related laws about why the Gotei 13 is not to take action in noble affairs. However, nothing seems to apply to the current situation." He sighed as he sat up and stared at into his companion's light colored eyes. "However, I'm determined to find it so you will not have to be incarcerated." Sayori smiled softly at her best friend, her heart tingling from his compassion and love for her. This was the Byakuya that she had grown to love over the years; the protective man who he was inside; not the cold, ice block that he pretended to be.

Looking upon her, Byakuya thought that the woman looked very radiant. It warmed his heart to see the life in her return to its jovial state. The color was back in her eyes which had been looked dull and dim ever since her return to the Seireitei. He didn't know if the change was from the recent good news or if it was from the event which occurred in his bed the night before. Maybe it was true when people said that making love causes a woman to glow. Especially when the woman enjoys it like Sayori seemed to. Perhaps that was why Hisana looked so happy all of the time.

_. . . Hisana . . ._

Byakuya felt a knot in his stomach as he remembered how he and his late wife used to show their affection for one another. Until last night, he had not been with another woman since her death. Although he knew that nothing was further from the truth, he almost felt as if . . . as if he had betrayed Hisana.

Swallowing hard, he returned his gaze to Sayori, whose eyes still had their amorous flare. Byakuya began to feel as if he had made a terrible mistake. Even after many decades of her absence, Byakuya was still not over Hisana. He loved his wife dearly and had no reservations about showing everyone his love for her. He didn't quite know if he loved Sayori in that same way. Sure, he cared deeply about her and he did have a platonic, sibling-like love for her. However, he didn't know if the romantic love was there.

Sayori could sense his change in demeanor and her loving eyes turned into ones of concern. "Is everything alright?" she asked, her sweet tone now sounded worried. Byakuya turned from her and fixated on one of the law books.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Now you know that I know you better than that. I know something's on your mind so you might as well tell me." Byakuya sighed and pushed the book off to the side. He knew that resisting was futile. Sayori wouldn't give up until he told her how he felt.

"Last night cannot happen again." Sayori's eyes widened slightly.

"Why do you say that? Did I not satisfy you?"

"That isn't the point. I feel that it is best for us not to engage in intimate affairs. Considering that you are technically still a convict and are still in my custody . . . I feel that our behavior last night was inappropriate."

"That's not it," Sayori replied, her voice flat. "That's such a textbook excuse and you know it. I told you I know when you're hiding something, so spill it." Byakuya remained silent for a few moments. He didn't want to tell Sayori the truth about how he felt. There was no possible way he could make it easy. Luckily for him, he didn't need to. Sayori was quick to figure out his emotions.

"You're unsure . . . aren't you?" Byakuya looked up at the woman whose voice showed the sadness that suddenly overcame her. Her eyes stared at him with such a melancholy that all Byakuya could do was apologize.

" . . . I'm sorry, Say-chan."

"It's okay," she lied. "I figured that you would have some doubts. I hoped that you wouldn't but I know now that it was foolish of me to think that." Sayori felt rejected. Her 'happily ever after' fantasy with Byakuya had been all too brief. She knew that once morning came that he may act funny about their love affair. It seemed too good to be true that he would fall for her so soon. While she knew for sure that she was in love with him, she also knew that Byakuya's heart still belonged to Hisana. She never would be on a level playing field with her.

"I need to get going. I promised Setsuna I would help her with some things." She lied to him again. She had made no such promise, but she had to leave before she showed the man too much sadness.

Before Byakuya had the chance to reply, Sayori had shunpoed away. The Kuchiki heir groaned before burying his face back in his arms.

* * *

Although it was a chilly, fall night, the temperature inside of the Squad Six barracks was very warm. So warm that Renji was struggling to get a goodnight's rest. He tossed and turned over his futon, the covers pulled back and his floral yukata fully open exposing his firm, decorated chest and abdomen and his . . . blessing. He wanted nothing more than to go and lower the setting on the thermostat but because many members in the barracks liked it warm, he decided against it. The last thing he wanted to be greeted with in the morning was a bunch of whining and complaining.

As 1 AM approached, Renji groaned frustrated, mind wandering but not focusing in on anything in particular. A light knock on his door grabbed his attention.

"Renji? Are you awake?" Setsuna quietly slid open the door to Renji's dark bedroom, peeking her head through the crack. Opening one eye, the redhead turned his head toward the door before sitting up in his bed. He closed the yukata, covering his indecency, thankful that the girl couldn't see his truth in the shadows.

"S-Setsuna?" he said, a little caught off guard that she had come to visit him so late. Blushing when she realized exactly what she was doing, she slightly lowered her head.

"Sorry to bother you so late. I couldn't sleep. Can I talk to you?"

"Uhh . . . y-yeah. Sure, come in." A small gulp went down Renji's throat and his face gained a pink tint as Setsuna strode across the room to sit on a cushion beside his futon. He couldn't help but notice how her short, white yukata clung to her slim figure. Her curves weren't as pronounced as her sister's but her long, silky brown legs greatly rivaled the ex-lieutenant's. Renji didn't think of himself as a leg man. He now second guessed it.

"I want you to help me learn bankai," she said, getting right to the point. Renji's eye's widened.

"Bankai? Okay, but why?"

"I don't want to be seen as a weakling anymore. I don't want to be a burden to others anymore. Everyone sees me as this timid girl that needs to be protected. But I am a good fighter and I want to prove that I can be stronger."

"I don't think anyone doubts your strength, Setsu. I mean, you were Ukitake-taicho's fifth seat for a reason."

"Yes, but I'm still not strong enough." Renji watched quietly as Setsuna quenched her eyes and tightened her grip on her yukata. "If I was stronger, I could have helped nee-chan all those years ago. I could have made it so she didn't get attacked by Aizen. She wouldn't have been turned into a hollow."

Renji stared silently at the girl. He had never seen his friend like this before. The desperation in her voice stirred something in him. If he were honest with her and with himself, he would have said that he didn't think that she was ready for the challenge bankai training would carry. However, he couldn't bring himself to deny her.

"Okay. Tomorrow, meet me at Shino Academy's training grounds after classes end. I will help you start your bankai training." Setsuna's eyes lit up and she leaped at her longtime friend.

"Oh thank you, Renji!" she cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Renji smirked as he wrapped his around her back. He absentmindedly rubbed her back gently as she laid her head on his shoulder, inhaling his seductive scent. When Setsuna realized that her breasts were firmly pressed against his chest, she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and ears. She quickly let go and sat up, putting a hand by her ear meekly. "Boy, it sure is hot in here," she nervously said, changing the subject.

"Yeah the damn heat is on and I don't really want to turn it off because of the other squad members. I can't sleep because of it. Even that open window isn't helping. I didn't really want to open these doors, but it looks like I have no other choice." Renji left his bed and walked over to open the shoji screens in his spacious lieutenant's quarters. Immediately a rush of cool air filled the room. Renji breathed a sigh of relief before returning to his bed.

"It feels much better in here now," Setsuna said with a smile. "Much better than my room for sure." Renji looked the girl over. He knew it was a risqué question to ask, but the way she looked right then, he couldn't help himself.

"I – If you want . . . you can, you know, sleep in my room." Setsuna turned her cerulean eyes on him. Renji, who couldn't believe that he had said it out loud, instantly tried to defend himself. "That is if you want to. I know you're hot and all. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I'm sorry I asked. It was a dum-"

"It's okay," Setsuna said with a nervous smile, silencing his rapid speech. She swallowed hard. "T – Thank you."

Face beginning to lightly coat with an anxious dampness, the redhead graciously slid over while the raven nervously climbed in beside him. While this scenario may have been a dream come true for some people, both Renji and Setsuna continued to stare at the ceiling above them in an awkward silence until they both fell asleep.

* * *

The Ito mansion was known throughout the Soul Society for the beautiful and numerous yuzu orchards that resided on its property. It had been a few months since Cho had visited the vast estate and its current clan leader. She smiled to herself as she inhaled the scent of the fruit on the trees, a smell that she had grown to love ever since her mother's marriage to one of their princes, Hanichi Ito. She almost had forgotten how big and beautiful the place was, even larger than the Hidaka estate. Still, no matter the size of the residence, the stunning woman knew exactly where she was going.

Quietly sitting in one of the waiting rooms sipping on the tea that a servant had prepared for her, Cho waited on the arrival of the Ito clan leader, who also happened to be her younger half-brother. A little while later, the tall, bronze colored man arrived with a large smile to welcome his sister.

"Cho-nee," he greeted in his smooth baritone, extending his arms for a hug. Cho stood and warmly embraced him with a beaming smile of her own.

"Hello, Tetsuya. It's been so long."

"I know right. Please don't ever stay away that long again." Tetsuya walked over to his side of the table across from his elder sister and they both sat. "Have some of the cookies my chef made. They're pretty good. He made them with some of our yuzus."

"Okay, I will," Cho said, taking a treat from the tray.

"So how have you been doing, Cho-nee? What's been going on with you lately?" Cho shrugged as she nibbled on the sweet cookies.

"Not much to tell, really. Just the usual." Tetsuya chuckled as he poured himself some of the hot tea.

"I'm sure _more_ than the usual thing is going on. I've heard about what has been happening lately in the Seireitei." Cho smirked to herself.

"I'm not surprised. Word does travel fast around here.

"That it does. I initially thought that they were rumors, but I actually felt Sayori-sama's presence not too long ago." Cho's grin became more sarcastic.

"Sayori-sama? Wow, I'm surprised that you still use her honorific considering her past and all." Tetsuya flinched slightly.

"While it is true that I will never trust the woman considering that she murdered Kazumi-obasan, I still also believe in the idea of 'once a noble, always a noble'. I still use honorifics when referring to Shiba clan members."

"That's very noble of you, otouto-san." Cho lowered her eyes to her cup. She had always felt guilty that she never told her brother that in reality, she and her lover were the ones behind his aunt's death. She couldn't bear to see her brother heartbroken anymore. He and Kazumi were very close. Seeing the way he broke down after her death, along with the fact that she _did_ have love for her targeted cousins, caused major regret for Cho. She began to feel guilty about her actions. However, the words of her longtime lover, Sosuke Aizen, gave her the resolve she needed to continue. He had told her that sometimes sacrifices had to be made in order to achieve what was right.

She had doubts when it came to hurting her loved ones, but Cho felt that in the end, it had to be done in order to correct the injustice which had been brought upon her father and mother all those years ago by the Hidaka clan leaders. As much as she loved the others, she felt a stronger desire to protect her father's pride.

"Alright, but other than that, what else has been going on with you?" Cho sighed before taking a sip of the tea.

"Like I said, it's the same ol' thing. The elders are once again pressuring me to get married. They are worried about an heir. They must think that I'm older than I am."

"Well . . . it _has_ been a long time since I've seen you court a gentleman, nee-san. So I guess I can understand their concern."

"I have no desire to date anyone. There is only one man that I love. He is the only one who could ever satisfy my heart." Tetsuya regarded his elder sister with a dumbfounded expression. He still couldn't believe that after all of these years, Cho's crush on her former captain still burned strong.

"Cho-nee …" the chocolate eyed male began. However Cho put up her hand to stop him.

"Baby brother, please don't. I already know what you are going to say, but my mind's made up. I cannot change how my heart feels."

"Surely you can't still have that same affection for Aizen-taicho now? Even after all of the chaos he has caused in the Soul Society, you would still be willing to call him your lover?"

"There is more to Aizen-taicho than what you all see."

"Cho-nee, he is an evil man. I know that you don't want to hear this, but you should leave him alone. He's no good for you." Tetsuya regarded the annoyed look on his sister's face. He sighed deeply before running a hand through his long, black hair. He knew that arguing with her about the situation was a waste of time. Cho was deeply in love with Aizen and although Tetsuya knew that he was poison, he could never convince her otherwise. He figured that the only way she would wise up was to see his true nature with her own eyes.

"I should get going," Cho said, before standing and casually brushing off imaginary dirt from her lovely, red furisode. Tetsuya stood as well.

"Please don't hurry off, Cho-nee. You just got here. I apologize if I offended you. I only want the best for you." Cho put her hand up to stop her brother's pleading.

"No, it's not that. To be honest, I'm so busy with affairs that I reasonably could only make a little free time. I promise that I will return one day when I have an ample amount of time to spend with you."

"Alright, just as long as you keep your promise, I'm fine with it."

Tetsuya continued to chat with his sister as he escorted her to the gates of the Ito estate, trying to savor every single moment with her. For some reason, he felt as if he should spend as much time as he possibly could with the woman. He didn't know why, but he had a nagging feeling that Aizen's influence upon her life would come back to haunt her in an unrelenting way. He also had a feeling that the aforementioned haunting would be happening soon.

* * *

**To be continued . . .**


	20. Step Up

_**A/N: Thank you very much DeucesAreWild, ToshiroRukia23, snowflowersister of toshiro241, and Em for all of the reviews! To answer one of the questions, I am indeed thinking about writing a sequel to this story. Something that will further develop Renji x Setsuna and Byakuya x Sayori. Zi and his former marriage with Sayori will also play a big role in the sequel and so will the Vandenreich. I hope to start writing it soon but we all know how I am with my writing timeliness. Oh . . . that's so shameful as a writer lol . . . **_

_**On to the fic!**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

**44 years ago**

"Wow, look at you. Don't you look nice in a squad uniform?" Renji lightly blushed and put a hand behind his head as he walked up the path leading to the private quarters of the Hidaka mansion. Sayori snickered at the embarrassed expression on the recent Shino Academy graduate's face. _He's such a cutie._

"Thanks, Sayori-sama."

"No problem at all. So what squad were you assigned to?"

"Squad Five." Sayori nodded and smiled.

"Ah, so Aizen-taicho has another champion on his team, huh? Well, I'm happy for both of you. Aizen-taicho is a very intelligent captain and you'll learn a lot under him. Congratulations, Renji-kun."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. Hey, I was wondering if Setsuna was anywhere around? I wanted to come see her and tell her about my first day and everything."

"No, she's out at the moment with Cho, but she should be returning soon. If you want to, you can hang around here with me until she comes back." Renji respectfully bowed before the Hidaka clan leader.

"Thank you very much, Sayori-sama." Sayori groaned and rolled her eyes as she tucked a few strands of her shoulder-length bob behind her ear.

"What have I told you about being so formal with me? We know each other well enough to be on casual terms. Any friend of my sister's is a friend of mine by default. I thought you already knew that."

"Er, yea. Yea, I do. I'm sorry about that." Renji sheepishly said as he took a seat beside his host on the patio outside of her bedroom. No matter how kind Sayori treated him and no matter how much she tried to convince him that she was like any other person, Renji still felt uncomfortable around her and other high ranking nobles. Dressed in a gorgeous white and floral printed furisode, he felt that the woman even looked classier than a stray dog like him. Sayori had a regal and confident vibe about her that Setsuna had yet to acquire. Perhaps that's why he never felt uneasy around the younger Hidaka sister. Nevertheless, he definitely felt more comfortable around Sayori than he did around Byakuya the time he first met him.

"Dango?" Sayori politely offered him one of the brightly colored snacks sitting beside her as a way to ease him up.

"Um, yea, sure. Thank you." Sayori nodded and smiled as he accepted the sweet and began to nibble on the flavor. She was happy that Renji had stopped by while her sister was out. She had never had the opportunity to have a one on one conversation with the young man. Now was a great opportunity to see what he was all about. She knew that Setsuna was developing a crush on her cherry haired friend and she wanted to see if he would be a good fit for her.

"Wow, this dango is amazing." Renji said in awe as he hungrily chewed on the snack. Sayori smiled once more.

"I'm glad that you like it. Our chef is pretty amazing."

"I'll say. I've never had dango as good as this."

"Well if you like that, you should come over more often. His dango is nothing compared to some of his other dishes. He makes one incredible miso soup." As Renji happily finished the two skewers he was offered and drank his cup of tea, Sayori couldn't help but think about how adorable he was. When she first met Renji, she instantly wrote him off as a bad boy. However after he began to come around the manor and after spending some time with him that day, she realized that the young man was actually very sweet. She wouldn't oppose the idea should he and Setsuna ever start to court.

"Thank you for the snack. I needed the energy boost after spending the day training so hard." The Squad Six lieutenant's curiosity piqued.

"Oh? Don't tell me that Aizen-taicho has already begun to put you through the ringer. He usually doesn't work the new recruits hard on their first day." Renji shook his head.

"No, I was training by myself. I figured that since I'm now a member of the Gotei 13, I should always strive to be stronger than I was the day before. Because of that, I try to train for at least four hours every day." Sayori's eyes widened.

"Four hours? Wow, that's very admirable, Renji-kun, but don't you think that if you push yourself too hard you'll exhaust yourself and wear yourself out too thin?"

"Yeah, I mean there is always that chance but . . ." he stared down at his feet. "That's the only way that I'll be able to surpass Byakuya Kuchiki." Sayori's mouth formed an "oh" as she slowly nodded her head.

"I see. So surpassing Byakuya is your goal, huh? You must want to be a captain one day."

"Well . . . not really. I mean, if it happens, then it happens. However, that's not the reason why I must become stronger than him. Ever since the Kuchiki clan adopted my best friend, becoming a superior shinigami than Kuchiki-taicho has all I've ever thought about."

"Best friend? You mean, Rukia-chan right?"

"Yes, Rukia and I have been with each other since we were kids living in that hell called Inuzuri. She's been by my side all of this time and now the Kuchiki clan has taken her away from me." Sayori bit down on her lip as she regarded the gentleman beside her. The way he talked with such passion and the way his eyes saddened gave Sayori the impression that her little sister had some major competition when it came to Renji's heart. She smiled sadly to herself, knowing that she was in the same predicament when it came to her captain.

Sayori searched for words to try to encourage Renji, but was relieved of the duty when light footsteps began to pound on the patio breezeway.

"Renji-kun!" Setsuna greeted her friend with a large smile and a cheerful, soprano tone. "When did you get here? I hope I haven't kept you waiting for long. Cho-itokosan and I had to go run an errand for Ukitake-taicho and Aizen-taicho." Renji grinned as he stood to his feet.

"I haven't been here long; only about fifteen minutes or so. Your sister kept me company so don't worry."

"Ah, good. Thank you nee-chan for entertaining my friend," Setsuna said before bowing out of respect. Sayori groaned and threw her head back.

"You all kill me with these formalities. Get a grip. I'm clan leader not God." Setsuna giggled. She couldn't help herself. Even though they were sisters, Setsuna still respected Sayori's status as clan leader. Yoshimitsu and Yume had raised their three children to be respectful under any circumstances. Sayori didn't quite take the lesson to heart as much as her other two siblings did.

"Renji, come on. I want to see this shikai you were telling me about. Zabishiro wasn't it?" Renji rolled his eyes as he followed the girl as she walked toward another part of the estate.

"Zabimaru. Where in the hell did you get 'Zabishiro' from?" She shrugged.

"Zabishiro sounds better to me for some reason."

"What? No it doesn't. What the hell?"

Sayori laughed to herself as she amusedly watched the novice reapers' banter before they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

* * *

**Present**

Had she been fairer in coloring, Setsuna had no doubt that the blush on her face and ears would have produced a bright red hue to her skin. As she awoke that morning, she found herself wrapped around Renji, who was still sleeping soundly beside her. She successfully suppressed the embarrassed squeal that threatened to leave her as she notice how tightly she had been holding him. As she removed her hand away from his arm, she noticed that her nails had left marks in his skin. Her left leg had been thrown around his waist and her other was intertwined between his.

With the exception of her father and brother, this had been the first time that she had shared a bed with a man. Now she had spent the night with the one man she had been crushing on for many decades now. Renji, on the other hand, was used to sleeping with others considering his orphaned upbringing. He honestly thought nothing of it when he asked her to spend the night. It may have been true that some of his motivation to ask had come from how attractive she had looked the previous night, but all in all his intentions were pure.

Setsuna bit down on her lip as she slowly began to move her legs away from Renji, trying her best not to wake him so she would be able to sneak out of his room quietly. That attempt failed immediately as the cherry haired lieutenant's coffee eyes immediately opened. He looked over his shoulder and stared into the shy face of his longtime friend. He smiled.

"Morning." Setsuna's heart was beating so hard that she could hear it thumping in her ears. It was a shame how much she liked this man, she thought to herself.

"G-Good morning."

"Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't snore too loudly."

"Uh . . . no. No, no you're fine." She looked down at her legs that were still around him and the marks on his arm. "I – uh . . . sorry if I bothered you last night. I didn't think I was _this_ wild of a sleeper." Renji smirked as he sat up, allowing Setsuna to pull away in the process.

"Yea, you kicked me a few times but it's nothing I'm not used to." Setsuna coyly grinned and absentmindedly stroked her hair. Renji groaned as he ran a hand over his face. "Ugh. What time is it?"

"Hm. I'm not sure. I'm guessing maybe nine?"

"If it is I woke just in time. I have to be at work in thirty minutes. Just enough time to shower and eat breakfast." He yawned and stretched before turning to look her in the eyes. He gave her another friendly smile.

"Are you ready to start training today?" Setsuna perked up as well.

"Yes! I'm really excited about it. Thank you again for agreeing to help me out."

"Ah, don't mention it. So I'll come meet you today after my shift is over and after I meet Rukia this evening. She wants me to watch this human world show with her. _Happy Tree Friends_? She said it's because the bunnies on the ads were cute. " Setsuna's enthusiasm waned a little. Although she knew that Renji and Rukia were just friends, she'd be lying if she said that she wasn't a little jealous of her petite friend. The way Renji cared for her was nothing short of amazing. After all, he did risk his life to save her not too long ago. She secretly wondered if she mattered enough for him to do the same for her.

"Oh, yeah? Okay then." Renji was perceptive enough to notice the change on her face. Setsuna was never good at hiding her emotions.

"Is something wrong?" Setsuna instantly shook her head, feeling stupid that she was feeling jealous. _They're just watching a show together, stop being an idiot._

"Ah, no. I'm fine. Nope, nothing's wrong." Renji narrowed his eyes briefly knowing that the girl was lying. However he had no time to further press the issue.

"Alright. Well . . . I guess I'll go get ready for work. Um . . . can you – "

"Oh! Yeah, sorry," Setsuna said embarrassed when it hit her again that she was still in Renji's bed. She scurried out of the futon and stood on her feet. "I'll get out of here so you can get dressed. I guess I'll see you later this evening."

"No, you should come eat lunch with me and the others today. Ichigo has come to visit." Setsuna smiled.

"He has? Okay then, I'll come." Setsuna waved goodbye before she quickly exited his room via his patio door. She didn't want to leave out of the bedroom door that led to the hall just in case some of the squad members saw her. The last thing she wanted were rumors swirling around that she and Renji were hooking up.

* * *

Things had been very awkward the last few days at the Kuchiki estate. Although nobody could pinpoint the difference, the servants and staff at the vast manor could tell that something was amiss between their boss and his prisoner. Just when it seemed that things between Byakuya and Sayori were returning to the way they were in the days of old, the harmonious atmosphere suddenly vanished. The two dined separately and spent none of their free time together like they had been doing over the past several weeks. They made minimal eye contact and conversation whenever they were together, the topics strictly limited to business. Even Renji, Setsuna and the others could tell that something was strange. It was as if neither put any effort into hiding the awkwardness. It truly made for an uncomfortable situation for everyone around.

"Hey you guys, have you noticed Kuchiki-taicho has been acting strange lately? He's been acting extra distant. I wonder if something is bothering him," Renji wondered out loud as he spent another one of his lunch breaks with Setsuna, Rukia, Arisu and Ichigo in the dining hall of the Squad Six barracks.

"Lately? Byakuya has always been closed off like that," Ichigo smirked before taking a bite of his rice. Renji rolled his eyes.

"You think I don't know that, genius? I know Kuchiki-taicho has always been withdrawn but I think something has been weighing him down. You might not be able to tell, but I can."

"It's the same with nee-chan," Setsuna agreed, staring down at her bowl of miso with worry. "She seemed pretty down yesterday and wasn't very talkative at all. She hasn't been as cheery during our training sessions lately either. She and Byakuya-sama were practically silent during it today."

"Yea, they were," Renji confirmed.

"Maybe they are just concerned about what the head captain is going to decide about her fate." Rukia suggested. "Maybe they think they won't be able to get her acquitted."

"That's true. There's also the possibility that nee-chan is still beating herself up for that night when she attacked Byakuya-sama."

"Nah, they're just having a lover's quarrel." Every eye at the table instantly went to Arisu as soon as she vocalized her theory. Ichigo tilted his head to the side.

"Lover's quarrel? What in the hell are you talking about it?" Arisu sighed as she put down her chopsticks and stared at four pairs of dumbfounded eyes.

"Really guys? You honestly mean to tell me that you haven't noticed that they've been fucking?" Ichigo almost choked on his rice, Renji and Rukia turned beet red, and Setsuna's mouth fell open. Arisu chuckled. "Guess not."

"How do you even know this, Risu-chan? Nee-chan . . . nee-chan and Byakuya-sama aren't . . ."

"You mean to tell me that you didn't notice how upbeat the captain was earlier this week? Renji, remember? Remember how we were shocked to see how much of a good mood he was in that morning when he told us to run the squad while he did some research at Central 46?"

"Yea . . . I mean, I guess so. But that doesn't mean that – "

"And Suna-chin, you didn't notice how extra happy your sister was when we saw her that same morning? Remember? She was on her way to _Central 46_ with Ukitake-taicho. You didn't notice how she was glowing? You guys mean to tell me that you didn't connect the dots?"

"Sure nee-chan and Byakuya-sama were both cheerful that day but that doesn't mean . . . " Setsuna's voice trailed off as she turned to look down at the petite woman beside her who had now covered her face in embarrassment. That same face was still completely flushed, even to her ears. "Rukia-chan?"

"I think Arisu may be right about Nii-sama," she said, her voice filled with mortification. "I . . . I heard noises one night." Arisu laughed vigorously.

"See! I told you guys they were fucking. I know an after-sex glow when I see it!" As Arisu happily gloated, her four friends could have died right then.

* * *

"So according to your findings in the great library, you have determined that Cho Hidaka is guilty of treason?"

"That is correct, soutaicho," Byakuya respectfully said as he privately met with Yamamoto in the office of the first division barracks. "According to Section Five of the codes regarding military action against noble houses, it states that it is an egregious act of treason for anyone, including nobility, to assassinate a captain of the Gotei 13. The only exceptions are if it is out of self-defense or if it is an attempt to foil a rebellion."

"Yes, I figured as much, however I wanted it to be confirmed before I took action. The last thing I need is a tribunal from the new Central 46 whenever they have finished gathering."

"Sir, what are you planning to do next?" Yamamoto sighed deeply before closing his eyes in thought. He reclined against the armrest of his chair, idly stroking his beard.

"I suppose I have no choice in the matter considering that Cho Hidaka is collaborating with Sosuke Aizen. That is a situation that simply cannot be. Perhaps if we invade the Hidaka manor, we may be able to catch one of the three traitors. It is always a possibility. We could use this to our advantage I'd say." Byakuya nodded.

"Yes Sir, I understand. What about the situation with Sayori Shihoin?"

"I am still deciding on her punishment," was the senior's simple and blunt reply. Byakuya slightly tilted his head to one side. He didn't even try to mask his confusion.

"With all due respect, Sir, I think Sayori has already served enough time for a crime that she was coerced into committing. Perhaps you should pardon her?"

"Regardless if she was coerced or not, Kazumi Ito was still murdered. Surely you don't believe that we should dishonor one of our captains by letting her killer go free, do you?"

"No, I do not. However – "

"Yes, I know that the situation is complicated. There are many things that can be said about what happened that night now that everyone is aware of the truth. However, the bottom line is that Sayori murdered an innocent woman. I will acknowledge and admit that I believe she has served enough time in exile considering the circumstances. Now, however, she will have to face atonement for usage of forbidden kido. She will be punished for that, Kuchiki-taicho. No questions asked." Byakuya lowered his eyes to the floor. He knew that the head captain would not waiver on his stance of forbidden kido so he did not argue with his superior. He could only hope that whatever her punishment would be, it would not be as serious as life in Shugo.

"Yes, soutaicho. I understand."

* * *

While it had only been three days since Renji and Setsuna began to work on her bankai training, Renji was already seeing improvements in her fighting. Her wielding had become better and her endurance had strengthened. Both of these were essential if Setsuna had any hope of achieving the second release of the zanpakuto.

Helping her also helped to refine his skills as a bankai wielding shinigami. Because of this, Renji was even more enthusiastic to help the girl even though he would have agreed to assist her regardless. However the mutual benefit of the training made him want to train as often as she'd allow. He hoped that tonight she would agree to accompany him once more.

"Setsu-chan, hey do you want to . . ."

Renji's voice trailed off as he stood still inside of Setsuna's bedroom, starring at the girl before him. She was dressed in her full shihakusho complete with zanpakuto even though she had been dressed down in a simple, raspberry colored yukata the entire day. Setsuna turned, startled, as she finished adjusting her high ponytail.

"Renji!"

"Uh . . . sorry to have just barged in like that. I wanted to ask if you wanted to work on your bankai training some more . . . but . . . I see you're already dressed for it." He closed her bedroom door as he fully entered. Setsuna swallowed apprehensively and stared down at her feet.

"Renji . . ."

"You weren't planning on training were you?" he rhetorically asked. "Knowing you, if you really wanted to train, you would have come to ask me first before dressing."

"I'm going to the Hidaka manor, Renji. I'm going to confront Cho," Setsuna freely confessed before Renji had the opportunity to question her further. The tall male's eyes widened.

"Wait, what? Yamamoto-soutaicho has yet to give his orders for a strike yet."

"I know."

"If you know, you should wait."

"I can't wait for him!" Setsuna blurted out, squeezing her fists and quenching her eyes. "This . . . this is my fight. Not the Gotei 13's. This fight belongs to me." She walked over and stood in front of her companion, looking up at him with firm eyes. "All of this time I have been relying too much on my siblings for protection. Whether it was on purpose or not, I got too accustomed to my brother and my sister protecting me. It's like I subconsciously knew that no matter how bad things seemed for me, Maikeru and Sayori would come bail me out. But I have come to realize that I can't rely on others to protect me anymore. I need to become stronger both physically and mentally. For years I was the fifth seat in Squad Thirteen and yet my sister still felt like she needed to protect me. Well this time, I'm going to protect her."

"It was Sayori's own choice to do that."

"Well, she felt like she needed to it for a reason didn't she? If I honestly were _that_ strong, she wouldn't have had to risk her own safety just to protect me." Setsuna attempted to pass Renji and walk out of her bedroom door, but a firm hand on her kosode sleeve stopped her.

"Setsu, you can't go there alone. I won't let you. I'm going with you."

"No." Renji's breath hitched upon hearing the rejection. As he regarded the woman in front of him when she turned to face him, he was astounded by what he saw. Never in his life had he seen Setsuna look as determined as she did right then. The confidence and desire to uphold her pride as a warrior was evident from her tone right down to the way she postured herself. Although reluctant, Renji knew that he couldn't persuade her to stay. He grunted as he slowly released his grip on her clothing.

"Please don't tell nee-chan, Risu-chan or Byakuya-sama about what I plan to do. I seriously want to handle this on my own." A part of him wanted to smack some sense into the woman. Although Cho had apparently lost her shinigami powers, she still was an associate to Aizen. That alone was enough to make him worry for her safety. However, the other part of him could not deny her request. It would dishonor her as a shinigami if he did.

"Be careful," he finally conceded after a long moment of silence. With a simple nod of acknowledgement, Setsuna was gone in a flash. Renji cringed as he put a hand to his forehead.

* * *

_**Setsuna is about to take the front lines! Next chapter will have the confrontation between the two cousins and another secret will be revealed. Maybe Byakuya and Sayori can get their acts together by then lol. Thank you for reading :D**_


	21. Woman Down

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone for the reviews, favorites and follows! I appreciate all of the love :)**_

_** I thought I'd post another chapter this week. I'm going to try to write as much as I can over these next ten days before classes start back. But this will be the last update for Noble Reason for like two weeks or so. After this chapter, I'm going to see if I can update both Teach Me, Train Me, Tame Me and The Brotherhood before August 26th. Sorry to everyone who likes this story, but I gotta be fair to my other readers lol.**_

**_On to the fic!_  
**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-one**

**54 Years Ago . . .**

"Hey, why are we going to Jakura?" Setsuna curiously asked her older brother as they walked along the dusty streets of the fifty eighth district in the southern Rukongai.

"I've been asked to do some patrolling here by the head captain. I thought I'd bring you along with me since you've never seen where my Miu hails from." The Shino Academy freshman nodded her head as she treaded along behind Maikeru, who regally walked with his long, black hair blowing in the self-created wind.

The fourteenth head of the Hidaka clan was of the same tall and athletic build as his father. He also carried himself with the same amount of pride and respect. He did, however, differ from his father in terms of facial features, skin and eye coloring. His round eyes, slightly upturned nose, light brown complexion and hazel brown eyes were all traits that he had inherited from his mother, who was of the well-respected Arai clan. He was the only one out of Yoshimitsu and Yume's three children that closely resembled her, with the exception of Sayori's blue tinted hair, which was also an Arai clan trait.

Because of his gentle appearance, Maikeru was often teased for being a pretty boy at Shino Academy, the Kido Corps and within his own clan. Yet the kidoshu vice commander's appearance greatly deceived those who were not aware of his immense power. Extremely skilled at kido, shunpo and zanjutsu, Maikeru was a force to be reckoned with. The only thing deficient on his resume was his lack of bankai, which was required before he could be promoted to the commander position in the kidoshu. Nevertheless with the progress he had been making in that area, he hoped that would change as well.

"We're here," Maikeru said as he suddenly stopped in front of a small and old looking house, causing his baby sister to run smack into him. After being helped back to her feet, Setsuna stared at the place where her sister-in-law used to live before she married into wealth. _I never knew people lived like this. I feel kind of guilty because we have so much money and these people don't really have anything._

"Why are you staring off into space?" Maikeru asked, his strong baritone taking an annoyed tone. "Let's go." Setsuna shook her head, fading back into reality.

"Oh, sorry," she giggled as she quickly walked inside behind him.

The inside of the home was bare of furniture or of any other décor. Trash and debris laid scattered about the floor showing that a few squatters may have taken up residence in the home while Miu had been away over the past decades. However considering the amount of rubbish left behind by trespassers, the home possessed a sweet and succulent smell that was so strong it was as if the place had been spotless and as if Miu still lived there.

"Wow, nii-chan. It smells so good in here," Setsuna said in awe as she closed her eyes and inhaled the intoxicating scent. Maikeru inhaled deeply, immediately narrowing his eyes when he recognized what the scent was.

"You're right. It smells just like a yuzu orchard in here." Setsuna inhaled again and smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it does smell like yuzu doesn't it? I didn't know nee-san liked yuzu."

"She doesn't."

"Oh? Well, maybe it's something else then." Setsuna turned to look at her brother who had become very quiet. She watched him as he rapidly pressed buttons on his denreishinki, his eyes serious and fixated on whatever he was typing.

"Um . . . nii-chan? Is everything alright?"

"Mhm. Just hold on for a second, okay?" Only about a minute or two after Maikeru had closed the communication device, it began to beep loudly. Upon reading what had been sent, the serious expression already plastered on his face intensified. He growled low as he placed the denreishinki back inside of his kosode and used that hand to tightly grab the hilt of his zanpakuto. Setsuna's marine eyes widened.

"Nii-chan?"

"Hime, I'm going to need for you to stay put inside of this home for a little while, okay?"

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's classified information. I cannot reveal it to anyone who isn't a part of the kidoshu. Please just wait here until I get back, okay?" Maikeru didn't wait for the young girl to agree. He was gone before she could even begin to form her mouth for the answer.

-.-.-

The time seemed to slowly tick away at an agonizing pace as Setsuna quietly waited for her brother's return. She sat by the window in the home's main room, staring out amongst the people to see if she saw any sign of him.

It was about an hour and a half after his departure when Maikeru's presence return to the humble abode. But when he walked through the door, he didn't look nearly the same as he had when he left. His shihakusho and vice commander's haori had been torn. His zanpakuto had been sliced in half, his hair was a wreck and blood and cuts covered his body. Setsuna gasped loudly as she ran to his side. He was barely able to stand up.

"Nii-chan!" she cried out, helping to prop him up by putting her arm around him and his arm around her shoulders. "What happened to you?!" Maikeru weakly stared down at his sister. His eyes were beginning to dull, which greatly alarmed Setsuna. She easily recognized that look. She had seen it on both of her grandparents' faces before they had died some years back. Maikeru tried his best to smile for his panicking sister, even though his body screamed in pain.

"Don't . . . make that . . . face . . . H-Hime. Let's go . . . back."

"Okay, nii-chan. I'm going to take you to Squad Four right away. Just hang on, okay? Unohana-taicho will help you, so please hang on."

Maikeru had not heard his sister after the words "Squad Four". Right there in the young woman's arms was where he took his last breath, his body going limp in his wife's old home.

Hearing her loud cries of sorrow and help, a passing shinigami rushed to the scene a few minutes after her brother's passing. After failing to console the girl, he summoned his other squad members in the area to help him take Maikeru's body to Squad Four. The first thing that everyone noticed about the deceased was how sweetly he smelled considering how badly wounded and dirty his body had become. They all said that he smelled of yuzu.

* * *

**Present**

Cho had only been in bed for a few minutes when one of her retainers informed her that the elders had summoned her for an impromptu meeting. She had just returned from a sit-down with Zi Shihoin at the Shihoin estate. She was tired and exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest. She wanted no involvement in whatever gripe her seniors had with her or whomever else.

"Alright, I'm here like you requested," Cho said with an exhausted and annoyed tone as she took a seat before all seven elders who bowed in respect for her. The chief elder, Yuzan Hidaka, nodded his head as he took a seat a few feet across from her, the other six elders following suit.

"Yes, thank you for coming, Cho-sama. I apologize for having summoned you on such short notice."

"That's alright. So what is so pressing that it requires a meeting so late in the evening?" Yuzan cleared his throat and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"Cho-sama, we have been informed that Setsuna-sama has regained her memories." Cho's eyes widened. Although she already knew that Setsuna's memories had returned, she didn't expect the elders to find out so quickly. She swallowed hard, her throat becoming dry with mild anxiety.

"Is . . . Is that so?"

"Yes, m'lady, it is. One of our clanswomen in Squad Four informed us of the news. She said that she got it straight from Retsu Unohana, so we have no reason to doubt her claims." The anxiety in Cho continued to build; so much so that her palms began to lightly coat with a nervous sweat.

"I – I see."

"Basically, to get to the point of this meeting," Yuzan continued, his eyes serious and staring deeply into hers. "We will remove you from your position as clan leader within a month's time." Cho's breath hitched and her heart did laps in her chest. After everything she had done to make sure that she would forever remain clan leader, it seemed as if she had ultimately failed. Trying to kill Setsuna didn't work, turning Sayori into a hollow and having her exiled didn't work, and her lover's recent attempt to kill Sayori didn't work. She had failed three times in her attempts to eliminate her cousins and it appeared that her only source of pride was about to be stripped from her as well.

"Wait a minute, you can't do this!" Cho blurted out before she could stop herself from showing her disdain for the elders' decision. Yuzan narrowed his eyes.

"And why not? Setsuna is the legitimate heir and we have already told you such. We informed you that as soon as the girl's memories returned, we'd ask for your resignation. You have no choice in the matter. The law is the law." Cho jumped to her feet.

"Just because her memories have returned, it does not mean that she is fit to lead! There are certain protocols she has to learn, etiquette, the way our clan operates, the laws of both our clan and the Soul Society. How do you know that she remembers any of those things?"

"I am certain that she can remember the basics of noble education and if she doesn't, it's nothing that a few lessons can't correct."

"This is crazy! I mean, how do you even know that she will accept it?! And why should she accept it?! I _earned_ this title! I am the rightful clan leader!" Yuzan and the other six men were taken aback by their leader's behavior. They had never seen her so irate before.

"Cho-sama, please calm down."

"No! No, dammit! You're trying to steal the title away from me just like you stole it from my father!"

"We had nothing to do with Kenji-sama's decision!"

"That's bullshit and you all know it! Just like you all know that Setsuna is a timid and cowardly little mouse! If you put the fate of our clan in her hands, we will collapse and be right there with the Shibas! How dare you favor her over me!"

"Cho-sama, you know that –"

"No! I'm talking right now! You all make me sick with how quick you are to sell out your own people just because –"

"Se – Setsuna-sama!"

"Huh?" Cho stared confused at one of the elders as his eyes widened substantially and his finger pointed out the open door behind her. She quickly turned around and gasped loudly when she came face to face with her younger cousin for the first time in many years. Cho noticed that the girl had grown a little taller and her round baby face had such a look of hatred that made the woman look like a completely different person.

"Setsuna? Is that really you?"

"Yes. It is," the younger woman replied in a voice so cold that it slightly unnerved the Hidaka clan leader. Yuzan smiled from ear to ear as he stood too his feet as quickly as he could.

"Oh my, Setsuna-sama. How great it is to see that you're alive! When you went missing all of those years ago, we'd all assumed that you were dead. We had come to believe that Sayori might have murdered you. But now to see you here after so long, it truly warms my heart."

"Yes! I agree with Yuzan-san," another elder said. "This is indeed a joy and a miracle to see our princess back here alive! Our proper heir has returned to us!" With Yuzan leading the way, all of the other six Hidaka elders stood on ceremony and bowed before their long lost leader. Cho looked over her shoulder and grimaced at the scene before her. This was the absolute last thing she wanted. She had hoped that Setsuna would have remained clueless about her past, thus allowing Cho to maintain her position as clan leader. However it appeared that all hope of that dream coming true was gone.

"So . . . Setsuna. How have you been?" Cho nervously asked, trying her best to regain her composure in front of the elders. Setsuna didn't acknowledge the question in the least. She continued to stare at her with those hard, blue eyes. Eyes that seemed to mimic the chilly atmosphere that was currently between the family members.

"Yes, Setsuna-sama, we'd like to know that as well," Yuzan said as he came closer and stood beside the silently feuding relatives. "We heard that you were able to get your memories back, m'lady."

"Yes." Her reply was quick and fast, her eyes never once deviating from Cho's, however, she could peripherally see that the elderly man was smiling.

"Excellent news! We were worried that your amnesia may have been permanent. We have heard of the sins that Sayori committed against you. To think that she could become that evil." It was then that her harsh gaze focused in on her elder's kind, brown gaze.

"Do not speak ill of my sister. None of you. Nee-chan is not the one you all should blame." The eyes of the elders widened and some vocalized their confusion. Cho's breath hitched.

"S-she's not?"

"No. In fact the one you should be bla – "

Before Setsuna was able to finish her statement, Cho had grabbed her by the collar of her shihakusho and flashed stepped out of the meeting room. Setsuna's eyes widened as she could fell the harsh wind assault her sensitive skin as the elder Hidaka continued to shunpo through the estate, only stopping when they had reached the underground training hall of the estate. The massive training grounds were about the size of the standard squad training grounds. Complete with strong walls of sekkiseki rocks that helped suppress spiritual pressure from leaving the grounds, the Hidaka training ground was an excellent place for anyone who wanted to experiment with high level kido, bankai training, or any other activity that consumed high amounts of spiritual pressure.

Setsuna grunted as she skidded along the dirt and debris when Cho forcefully threw her on the ground, the velocity from her shunpo giving her throw a little more force. She winced as she slowly tried to stand. _Ungh! She's so . . . she's so fast and strong. I think she's even faster than nee-chan._

"You," Setsuna groaned when she finally made it to her feet. "That was a flash step you did just now. I thought that you had lost your powers."

"It appears that you were mistaken, itoko-chan," Cho replied in her usual, calm and kind voice. However malice was very apparent in her oceanic eyes.

"So, you've been lying this whole time?"

"Hmm, you know that I'm working with Aizen and his Kyoka Suigetsu but yet you sound surprised."

"I am, actually!" Setsuna growled as she balled her hands into fists. "Why did you do it? Why did you try to have me killed? Why did you team up with Aizen? Why did you frame nee-chan and make her suffer? You ruined our lives!" Cho smirked. She was actually surprised that she was able to remain calm in the situation. Perhaps it was because she knew for a fact that she was infinitely stronger than Setsuna. Or maybe it was because after being around Sosuke Aizen for so many decades, his cool nature had worn off on her.

"Such a drama queen. You've always been like that. How immature."

"I'm not being a drama queen! You must have no idea how badly you've hurt nee-san and I! We're your family! We loved you! How could you do this to us?!"

"Family doesn't mean shit to the Hidaka clan."

"How can you say that?! Haven't we all been there for each other when we needed it?!"

"No, we haven't. The Hidaka clan has done some shady shit to their own people. More than you even know."

"I know my family. We've never done wrong to our own!"

"Then why did they excommunicate Sayori then? Huh? If our clan was as caring as you claim it is, the elders never would have ordered me to exile her. If they _really_ cared, then your father would have never been clan leader!" Setsuna's breath hitched. The collected aura that Cho had successfully maintained thus far was beginning to waiver. The malicious expression on her face had turned into something akin to anguish.

"What are you talking about? What does tou-san have to do with this?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Yoshi-jisan was never supposed to be clan leader. That title rightfully belonged to my father! Yoshi-jisan robbed my father of his honor when jii-sama made him clan leader. Yoshi-jisan manipulated our grandfather into believing that my father was conspiring against our clan and trying to sell off our sacred land and capital over to the Ito family. He spread lies about my father saying that he was ill in the head and wasn't fit to lead. Your lying father convinced everyone that my father was insane and they all believed him!"

"No, you're wrong! Jii-sama and tou-san weren't like that! They loved Aoki-jisan! Why would they do that?!"

"Because the Hidaka clan elders and leaders are cold and uncaring people. Look at what your brother did to my mother!" Setsuna swallowed hard and bit her lip. She remembered exactly what Cho was referring to.

About six years prior to Maikeru's death and one month following Aoki's death in battle, it was discovered that Yuka Hidaka had been having an affair with Hanichi Ito, who was Kazumi Ito's older brother. The affair was only discovered when Yuka gave birth to her son, Tetsuya, who looked absolutely nothing like Aoki. Upon interrogation by the clan elders, Yuka finally admitted that she had been having a five year long affair with Hanichi and that Tetsuya was their love child.

Without hesitation, the Hidaka elders, along with Maikeru, demanded that Yuka and Tetsuya be ostracized from the Hidaka clan and that any record of their existence was to be erased. Maikeru ordered that she and her love child were to be immediately thrown out onto the streets that day. The public humiliation and shame from her former family caused Yuka to sink even farther into depression. She had already felt guilty for deceiving her late husband for so long and when he was killed, she became distraught.

Although the Ito clan reluctantly accepted Tetsuya as their own, they never did accept Yuka. As a result, Yuka was forced to abandon both Tetsuya and Cho and resigned herself to Kusajishi where she drank away her remaining days. Cho had never been the same since.

"It is unfortunate what happened to Yuka-obasan, but to take it out on nee-chan and I? You . . . you are so evil. I'd never thought that you'd be so cruel to us. You used to be so loving and sweet and now . . . now . . ." Setsuna couldn't find the will to finish her statement. She wrapped her hand tightly around Kageryuu's hilt and unsheathed it. She pointed the blade menacingly at Cho who smirked at the girl's action.

"If I were you, I'd put that away. You don't want to die like a dog do you?"

"Shut up!"

Setsuna recklessly charged at Cho in a full rage and didn't see the oncoming strike of the greater skilled shinigami. The slash through her left arm had been so fast that she didn't know if Cho had cut her from the back or the front. Setsuna panted loudly as she fell to her hands and knees, sweating and watching with wide eyes as droplets of blood began to saturate the bronze dirt below her.

"Please don't tell me that's all you got, Setsuna. I know that you may be a little rusty considering that you've been out of service for 25 years, but this is out right ridiculous." The younger woman growled.

"Shut up!" she barked as she slowly stood to her feet. "I can still fight you. I will defeat you no matter what!" She placed her hand over her zanpakuto and made a sweeping motion along the dull side. "Create the nightmare: Kageryuu!" Instantly the standard katana transformed into the dual head, jet black, battle axe-like weapon that was Kageryuu. She twirled it around in her hand a few times before taking her battle stance. Cho only smirked which further frustrated the younger girl. "Shouldn't you draw your zanpakuto? Since you still have your powers, I know you can use shikai."

"I don't really need to."

"I think you do. You won't be able to fight me if you're blind. I won't remove the blinding effect after I win either. Are you prepared to spend the rest of your life in darkness?" Cho couldn't help but laugh at the girl's ominous threat.

"I'll be blind forever you say?" she arrogantly smirked as she stared at her own reflection in her wakizashi's blade. "You seem to have forgotten that I know how your zanpakuto works. Kageryuu's first stage ability releases a black cloud that completely shrouds your opponent in darkness. When that cloud passes, the person becomes completely blind and will remain blind throughout the fight. Only when you choose to remove the effect, if you use the second stage of your shikai or if the person takes a special tonic will they be able to see again. But you seem to have forgot one more thing little cousin." Cho looked up from her sword and stared at Setsuna with remorseless eyes. The uneasy feeling once again returned to Setsuna. "The blindness will also go away if you die."

"Ah!" Setsuna yelped as Cho charged her with such rapid speed that if she had been even a fraction slower, her head would be across the room. She was amazed at how nimble and agile her cousin was. She assumed that this great speed came from being under the tutelage of the stealth force, which was her original squad before she transferred to work under Aizen. She was much faster than Sayori for sure.

Setsuna held onto Kageryuu with a choking grip as she tried to defend Cho's attacks. This was her very first time doing real combat since her return to the Soul Society and now she was wondering if it was smart of her to rush into battle so soon. She knew Cho was strong, but her power now was even higher than she remembered. She counted her blessings that Aizen was nowhere around to assist her, otherwise she would have died instantly.

"Stage one: Moumoku!" As soon as she uttered the command, a black cloud emerged from the two blades of Kageryuu. However before they had a chance to wash over Cho, the woman was able to shunpo away. Setsuna grunted as she swung the zanpakuto over and over again, releasing numerous black clouds of blindness. Yet to her dismay, Cho was able to dodge every single one before they disintegrated. Setsuna was shocked when Cho immediately took the offensive again, striking at her with such speed and power that she was being forced backward.

Cho had put Setsuna on the defensive so much that she had managed to back the girl into one of the walls of the training grounds, her wakizashi pressing firmly on the staff of her battle axe. Setsuna tried with all her might to push Cho off of her but it was to no avail. Cho smirked as she saw how badly she was struggling.

"What's the matter? I thought you came here to defeat me, baby cousin. You won't get anywhere fighting like this."

"I can still win!"

"Unlikely. What makes you think that you have a chance?"

"My shikai's second stage, Genkaku." Cho's smile became more twisted.

"You're planning to use Genkaku? On me? Well, I hate to say this but it's not happening today." Cho removed one hand from her weapon and held it up to her face. At that very moment, Setsuna knew that she was in major trouble. She knew this because as soon as Cho put her hand up, white reiatsu began to concentrate around her profile. Before long, a white mask with reddish/black markings covered her face. Setsuna stared at her cousin with horrified eyes.

"Y – You're a – "

She wasn't able to finish her statement. At that moment, Cho was able to overpower Setsuna's strength and the blade of her wakizashi sliced through Kageryuu , cutting the zanpakuto in half. At the same time, the blade connected with Setsuna and Cho was able to make a wound along the right side of her chest, down to her waist. Setsuna cried out in pain as she felt to the ground, clutching the incision. She stared in horror as her fingers and hands became soaked with her own blood.

As Cho stared down at her victim, a twinge of guilt began to tug at her heart. No matter how she sliced it, Setsuna was still her own flesh and blood and she did earnestly love her once upon a time. But her allegiance to Aizen and her desire to uphold her father's honor still reigned supreme.

She raised her sword above her head and calmly stated her parting words in her distorted tone. "Sayonara, itoko-chan."

"Scatter: Senbonzakura!" Cho was caught by surprise as a sudden attack from Senbonzakura's numerous blades attacked her all at once, pushing her far away from Setsuna and wounding her at the same time. She screamed loudly as she was cut from every direction and forced into the ground, making a small crater. When the peach tinted blades finally dispersed, Cho slowly lifted her head off of the ground thinking she'd see Byakuya. The new pair of cerulean eyes that stared at her with fury and the livid alto voice told her otherwise.

"Cho. You _fucking_ bitch."

* * *

**_Ooop, you done pissed of Sayori now lol. The big sister returns in the next chapter. We will also see just how well Cho has been hiding her crazy over the years along with the help of Aizen. Thank you so much for reading :) Chapter 22 will be up in two weeks :)_**


	22. Family War

_**A/N: Yoooo it has been a long time since I updated this story. Grad school and work and life will do that to a girl. But now that the semester is over, I have some story time. So on to the fic!**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**25 years ago . . .**

"Well now, that was easier than I thought," Gin Ichimaru smirked as he stared down at the cataleptic body of Sayori, whom he had just brutally struck in the back of the head.

"Of course it was easy. Anyone will be knocked out when you strike them _that_ hard." Gin looked up from his target and turned to a shadowy, brush covered area to the left of him. From those shadows, he saw the forms of his boss and Kaname Tosen, appear before him. The grin on the silvery-white haired shinigami widened.

"Ahhh, Aizen-taicho. Kaname. You two got here pretty fast."

"We were waiting here before you or Sayori even showed up," Kaname explained. "Aizen-sama predicted that Kisuke Urahara's senkaimon would open here."

"Yes, and it seems that I was correct," a bespectacled Aizen dressed in his captain's garb said as he approached his former lieutenant. He gazed satisfied upon Sayori. "Good work, Gin. Because of that blow to the head, she should be unconscious the whole time I perform Hollowfication."

"Always happy to help," Gin replied with a sly grin.

"Aizen-taicho, may I ask you something?" Kaname queried

"Yes, what is it?"

"Every other time we have performed Hollowfication on someone, they have been fully conscious. What made you decide to go against it this time and to have Sayori be unconscious?"

"That's simple. It's mainly because I want to try another method of Hollowfication. I want to determine if there is any difference in transformation speed and effects in an inanimate state." Aizen bent down and gathered Sayori into his arms before flinging her over his shoulder. "Also, I don't what Sayori to know about Cho's involvement in my plans just yet." Kaname nodded.

"I see."

"Let's go, Kaname. Gin. Cho is already waiting for us back at the laboratory. Let's not dawdle any longer."

"Hai," Gin and Kaname said in unison as they followed their corrupt leader back to their headquarters.

-.-.-

Cho had now been waiting for her captain for several hours. She paced around Aizen's secret lab anxiously, her stomach in knots. She wondered what was delaying his return. _Was he able to capture her? Did he get caught in the process? He has never been this late before._

The plan was a simple one. Aizen would use his Kyoka Suigetsu to manipulate Sayori into thinking that Kazumi Ito planned to murder Setsuna. Because Sayori was impulsive, they anticipated that she would go and confront the Ito clan leader about the threat. Knowing this, Cho and Gin arrived at the Squad 10 barracks earlier that day to subdue Kazumi and toss her into a closet bound, gagged and drugged. Aizen would then use his powers again to perpetrate Kazumi and engage in a duel with Sayori.

When Sayori went in for the kill, Aizen would switch places with the real Kazumi and let her take the fatal blow. She would then be arrested for Kazumi's murder and placed into a holding cell. Later, Aizen would sneak into her cell, administer the same drug they had given Kazumi, abduct her and bring her to the lab. In the meantime, Gin would sneak into the Hidaka clan compound and murder Setsuna. It was a foolproof plan that mutually benefited both Cho and Aizen. Aizen would have another test subject for his Hollowfication experiments and Cho would become the new clan leader with both Sayori and Setsuna out of the way.

"Ugh! So why is this taking so long?!" Cho exclaimed, pulling her hair. "They should be back by now!"

"My oh my, you Hidaka women are impatient." Cho jerked her head around when she heard the voice of Gin cut through the air. A soft smile spread on her face when she saw Aizen and his two accomplices walk through the door of the laboratory with an insentient Sayori in tow. She sighed as she clutched her haori.

"Thank goodness. I was worried that something had happened to you."

"Yes, well, the plan took an unexpected turn," Aizen said as he laid Sayori on the cold, steel table in the middle of the room. "I didn't count on her running from the authorities and taking Setsuna to the human world." Cho's eyes widened.

"What? To the human world?"

"Yes. She collaborated with Kisuke Urahara in order to escape to the world of the living. That is where she placed a seal on Setsuna that is supposed to lock her away for fifty years. When the seal breaks, Setsuna should be nothing more than an average human being with no recollection of her soul reaper past and no possession of supernatural abilities." Aizen smirked as he prepared the tools for the experiment. "So in effect, she did some of our dirty work for us."

"And I was so looking forward to killing that annoying little crybaby tonight," Gin playfully lamented. "It's too bad Sayori beat me to the punch."

"Yes, with her spirit energy, soul reaper powers and memory gone, Setsuna as we know it, is in fact, dead," Kaname agreed. Cho sighed again and grinned after learning the details of what had transpired. She was relieved to know that the plan, although not how they expected, ultimately worked. Both Sayori and Setsuna had been eliminated. The manner in which they went out did not matter. All that mattered was that Cho would become the next leader of the Hidaka clan, a title which she thought rightfully belonged to her anyway.

The three soul reapers watched attentively as the deceptive captain performed his usual Hollowfication routine on Sayori. It was complex and tedious for sure. If one did not know what they were doing, they could have easily caused a disaster.

Finally, after countless minutes, Aizen finally completed his task. Stepping away slowly from the table, the four watched intensely as cries and screams of agony filled the room. Sayori's conscious may not have been there, but a hollow's surely was.

Cho watched on in horror as white reiatsu began to spill from Sayori's mouth. Another satisfied grin developed on Aizen's calm face as the two watched the reiatsu form a mask over her face.

"Very interesting. It appears that the Hollowfication process is very smooth and seamless when the person has no awareness. Hmm. I wonder what will happen when she wakes up."

Cho broke out into a nervous sweat as she stared at the white mask that now rested on her cousin's face. When Aizen first suggested this plan to her, she was perfectly okay with helping him as it benefited them both. However, now as she laid eyes upon the hollowfied woman, she doubted her decision.

"What's wrong Cho?" the sensual voice of Aizen said as he stared down at Cho with piercing eyes. "I sense that you have doubts. Is this not what you wanted?" Cho bit her lip apprehensively. It always amazed her how easily Aizen could read her. Her fear, her happiness, her jealousy, her lust; she could hide nothing from him.

"It is, Aizen-sama. It's just that . . . she is still my blood."

"Sayori will be just fine, so don't worry. Just think of this as an upgrade for her. If anything, we helped her more than we hurt her. So she won't be clan leader anymore. That's a small price to pay for the gift I have given her. Surely you can agree to that, Cho." A smile replaced the frown on Cho's face as she nodded her head, feeling reassured of her original feelings about the plan.

"You're right, Aizen-sama. Forgive me for doubting you."

"That's alright." Aizen turned to his silver haired subordinate. "Gin, I want you to take Sayori back to the woods. Leave her there for the authorities to capture her. We don't need to raise suspicions."

"Yes, Aizen-sama. I'll head out now."

-.-.-

Not too long after, Gin arrived at the place where he had knocked Sayori unconscious. Recklessly tossing her on the ground, Gin smirked as he gave her one last glance over. "Sorry I had to do this, Sayori. I always did like you ya' know. But alas, some things must be sacrificed in order for things to be how they should. You take care now." And with that, Gin shunpoed away into the night.

The winds were picking up steam as the tall grass whipped in the breeze around her as she lay motionless on the ground. She had not been there for long when a very familiar black cat slowly approached her in the thick grass. Yoruichi shook her head as she looked upon her masked in-law. "Kisuke was right, as usual. Aizen is up to no good. Hopefully, I'm not too late." Transforming into her normal, shapely figure, Yoruichi reached inside of the pouch that she had brought with her from Karakura Town. Inside was a small vile of liquid that Kisuke had concocted to somewhat reverse the Hollowfication. Opening her lips and pouring the liquid inside, Yoruichi waited anxiously to see what effect the medicine would have. Surely enough, after a few brief moments, the white mask on Sayori's face shattered into pieces. Yoruichi smirked as she stared at the empty vile. "Well, what do ya know."

"Hey, I'm going to check over here!"

"Damn, I didn't get here fast enough," Yoruichi said as she heard the rapidly approaching footsteps of members from the Gotei 13. While she was still able to get away without being spotted, Yoruichi quickly made her exit and quickly ran towards the discreet senkaimon tucked away in the dense woods from whence she came. It wasn't a minute or so after she left when members from Squad Two came upon Sayori.

"Hey! Over here! I found Sayori Shihoin!" a black clad member of the stealth force called as he squatted to get a good look at the wanted. Another stealth force member squatted beside him.

"Do you think she's dead?"

"No. She's definitely breathing, although it's shallow."

"I wonder how she became unconscious."

"That doesn't matter. We need to take her to Soi Fon-taicho immediately. She can be the one to inform the Head Captain that the search is over."

"Alright."

* * *

**Present**

"Cho. You _fucking_ bitch."

Cho's golden eyes widened as she watched the thousands and thousands of Senbonzakura's blades return to Sayori's Zanpakuto. "Say – Sayori. What are you – doing here?"

"Why do you _think_ I'm here, Cho?!" Sayori barked back, gripping the hilt of Tejinashi with a choking grip. "What the hell has gotten into you?! Why in the hell would you turn on your family?! Why would you work with Aizen?!" Cho groaned in pain as she slowly rose to her feet. Blood dripped from the numerous wounds that Senbonzakura had inflicted and her hollow mask shattered, returning her appearance to its normal state.

"My allegiance to Aizen-taicho is of no concern to you."

"Like hell it isn't! It's because of that asshole that you and I have hollows inside of us now! He turned you and I into monsters and you still want to pledge your allegiance to him?! What is wrong with you, Cho?!"

"You wouldn't understand!"

"Try me!"

"Nee-chan," Setsuna weakly said as she limped over to her older sister, clutching her steadily bleeding wound. "How – ungh – how did you know to come here?"

"Renji told Byakuya and me what you were planning to do. He said he had sworn not to tell us, but he was more worried for your safety than you being angry at him." Cho sneered.

"Oh, how sweet. That red headed oaf was worried huh? Well, he has every reason to be. Especially since both of you are going to die right here, right now."

"You might as well give up," Sayori said. "Yamamoto has issued an order to proceed with an invasion of our clan on suspicions of treason against the Soul Society. The captains and lieutenants are already on their way here. You and I both know that no matter how skilled and how proficient the estate guards are, they are nowhere near the level where they can take down Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants." Cho sneered again.

"So you're teaming with them now? Well, I'll be damned. I would have never thought I'd ever hear any words of praise come from you for that band of fools considering how they disowned you and abandoned you all of those years ago."

"Oh don't get me wrong, I haven't forgotten what happened. I haven't forgotten by any means. However, unlike you, I have learned to forgive those who abandoned me. I'm ready to move on with my life." Sayori lifted Tejinashi and took her preferred battle stance. "Right after I defeat you, of course." Cho laughed loudly and heartily at her younger cousin's bold declaration. She snickered with malice.

"Oh please spare me this ridiculous speech and this holier-than-thou attitude. You think I believe you for one second that you have forgiven those idiots? Please! You must forget how well I know you, little cousin!" Sayori grunted as she defended herself from the brunt of Cho's attack as the two zanpakuto clashed against one another. "And if you even think that you are going to defeat me, then you are a bigger ass than I thought you were!" Sayori's eyes widened with surprise as Cho started to push her back with the immense strength that radiated from her. The raven haired visored's spiritual pressure began to rise exponentially and a glowing green aura surrounded her form and weapon. Sayori grunted as she tried with all of her might to protect herself against the woman's newfound strength. Cho laughed menacingly at her predicament.

"Aww what's the matter, Sayori? Is there a problem? You seem to be having a hard time warding off the power that Aizen-taicho has bestowed upon me. You should know firsthand how much stronger one becomes once they hollowfy." Sayori narrowed her eyes.

"Ungh. Ch-Cho . . . damn you!"

"However, unlike you, I am able to fully control Aizen-taicho's gift. This all the more proves that I am the superior fighter. I always have been and I always will be."

"This fight isn't over yet!" Sayori declared, attempting to raise her spiritual pressure until it was around the level of Cho's. "I refuse to let you and that psycho have your way! Cho, I am going to beat you right here and right now! I don't care if I die along with you! This ends today!"

Setsuna stared in awe as she watched her sister send Cho stumbling backwards after pouring all of her strength into Tejinashi. As the two women continued to clash blades, the youngest Hidaka couldn't help but feel inadequate. Hollowfication aside, Cho and Sayori were such superior warriors compared to her. Even if she was a highly skilled soul reaper, there was no possible way that she could have defeated Cho alone. In fact, if Sayori hadn't come when she had, she believed that she would no doubt be a corpse at this point.

Setsuna felt ashamed as she stared down at the numerous wounds the slashes that Kimi no Shini had inflicted. She felt like crying as she stared down at the broken pieces of Kageryuu that lay scattered beside her. After all this time, how could she be so inferior to both her sister and cousin? Even if she had been sealed for a quarter century, there is no excuse for being this deficient. At the rate she was going, she didn't even feel like she was worthy of the officer position that had been bestowed upon her all of those years ago.

"Aaaaaungh!" Sayori grunted loudly as she swung at Cho's wielding arm, but only managing to slice the sleeve of her kimono. Before she had the chance to attack again, Cho quickly countered with a forceful swing, managing to slash Sayori's left shoulder and knocking her to her knees. Sayori panted heavily as she watched a few red droplets fall onto the dirt. She winced and growled. _Dammit! She's strong. She's even stronger than I remember. That fucking Aizen and his hollowfication! If this were a more level playing field, I could beat her. I guess, I guess it would be more level if I . . . . . No! I can't! I won't!_

"Ready to give up?" Cho teased with a mocking smirk on her full, red painted lips. "Cause it looks like I'm already giving you all that you can handle." Sayori laughed defiantly as she rose to her feet as quickly as she could and repositioned herself in her stance.

"I've told your dumb ass once. I've told you twice. I'm getting real tired of that cocky attitude of yours, so I'm only going to tell you this one more time. I am going to beat you, Cho Hidaka. You will fall to me and I refuse to leave or die before I defeat you."

Cho's demeanor instantly changed as Sayori repeated the vow. The cocky, teasing attitude that had placated the clan leader so far throughout the entire battle had turned into rage. She was angry at how confident and unshaken Sayori remained despite the fact that all of the odds were currently in the older cousin's favor. She had always been envious of that determined spirit that she possessed.

Cho snarled as she reached down and grabbed a wad of Sayori's deep blue tresses. The kneeling woman winced as some off the strands were tugged out of their roots. "You're going to defeat me huh? Is that what you think?! Well?! Is it?!" She put the blade of Kimi no Shini right against her throat. "You arrogant little bitch! Let's see how confident you are when Kimi no Shini stops your heart! Bankai!"

Both Sayori and Setsuna's eyes simultaneously widened as the sealed Zanpakuto began to glow green.

"Ba – Bankai," Setsuna rasped in a trembling tone. "No way."

Cho laughed triumphantly. "I see at least one of you knows what kind of trouble you are in," she sneered as she stared Setsuna right in the eyes. "Yes, baby cousin, I have achieved bankai." Setsuna stared frozen as she watched the already dangerous zanpakuto slowly start to transform. Cho laughed again. "Well don't look so shocked. Did you honestly expect that I wouldn't have achieved bankai after all of these years? Ha! Pathetic. That's why you are as stagnant as you are, Setsuna. You lack the strength to progress and get stronger."

_Fight_. Setsuna bit down on her lip as a nervous sweat coated her palms. She looked over at her sister whose eyes had been glazed over with both shock and trepidation. _Fight. You have to fight! Sayori can't do this alone. You might not be of much help but you have to fight! Get up Setsuna! If you don't, you will both die!_

Setsuna stared down at the broken pieces of Kageryuu that lay scattered amongst her. Even though the reverted zanpakuto had been taken out of action, Setsuna was still able to hear his voice, although faint it was. In his strong, baritone voice, Setsuna could hear her zanpakuto spirit urging her to get up and find her resolve.

Clutching the sword blade of Kageryuu as a dagger, Setsuna charged toward Cho who had her back turned toward her. With a loud battle cry, Setsuna swung as hard as she could, attempting to stab Cho in the middle of her back. However, to her chagrin, Cho had anticipated this action. The cunning woman side stepped just before the blade connected.

"You're way too slow," Cho smirked as she kicked Setsuna to the floor, the force from the kick and Sestuna's running motion causing a great impact. Sayori watched with horror as her sister grabbed her right arm in pain, which appeared to be broken. It was that arm that took the brunt of the fall. Cho laughed victoriously. "Awwww, does the wittle baby have a boo boo?" she mocked.

"Damn you to hell," Sayori yelled as she charged at her cousin with Tejinashi.

"Nah uh uhhhh," Cho mocked as she held up the sword which now had a screw like blade. "That's enough of that. Mahi!" As soon as Cho uttered the command, a flash of lightening left Kimi no Shini's blade which instantly stopped Sayori in her tracks. Sayori groaned and grunted as she tried her best to move her limbs that had been frozen still. _What the hell?! Move dammit. Move!_

"Stage one of my Bankai causes complete paralysis to the body. You can't move anything. Not even your mouth." Sayori realized that she was right. Attempting to retort to her cousin's statement, she realized that she had neither a voice nor could her mouth move. Cho laughed heartily as she saw the fear that came over Sayori's face.

"Yes, I see you finally realize how much you fail to compare to me. And this is just the tip of Kimi no Shini's Bankai. The second stage of this Bankai is the paralysis of all of your internal organs. Your lungs, your brain and your heart along with everything else inside of you will cease to work, thus assuring death for you. That is the nature that is Kimi no Shini: the Prince of Death." Setsuna looked in horror after Cho explained the full power of her Bankai. _No! This can't happen! I have to stop this!_

"Cho! Ungh – stop! Stop this now! Please! Let Sayori go!" Setsuna attempted to stand to her feet, but at that point she had been so wounded and had lost so much blood that she simply had no energy left. Cho laughed again as she saw the young shinigami collapse under her own weight.

"How pitiful. It's so sweet to see how much you two care for each other, but in the end, it did neither of you any good. Why don't you just lie down, shut up and wait your turn to die?"

"Unnnngh . . . Ch – Cho . . . y – you – " Cho stared at Sayori with wide eyes as the determined woman began to tremble and shake, trying her best to break Kimi no Shini's paralysis ability.

"What the hell," Cho said in a state of disbelief. "How are you able to move? Kimi no Shini's paralysis technique is unbeatable. Even if you had a million years of training, you shouldn't be able to break it!"

"Aggggh! Nooooo!" It was then that Cho realized what exactly was going on. It wasn't necessarily Sayori who was breaking the spell. It was the fact that Sayori was beginning to hollowfy that was disrupting the flow of her Bankai. A mischievous, evil grin spread across Cho's face as Sayori began to succumb once again to the hollow inside her.

Setsuna grimaced as she watched her sister begin to lose control. She felt so horrible and so defeated that she couldn't do anything to help Sayori. She quenched her eyes tightly as tears streamed down her face. "No. It's all over. I can't believe that this has happened."

"Roar! Zabimaru!" Suddenly, the long, extendable blade of Renji's shikai came into view. Cho shrieked, caught off guard by the new zanpaukto's intrusion into the fight. She jumped out of the way of the sword's attack, escaping away with a minor cut on her arm. "Setsuna!" Renji cried out as he ran over to his fallen friend's side. Setsuna greeted him with a weak smile.

"Renji."

"I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you and telling Kuchiki-taicho and Sayori about what you planned to do. I was so worried for your safety. I had no other choice."

"That's okay, Renji. I'm glad you did. If you hadn't, I would surely be dead by now."

Cho growled low in her throat as she glanced at the minor wound that Zabimaru had left. Losing her composure more and more as the fight went on; Cho lifted her zanpakuto and prepared to retaliate. "How dare your dirty zanpakuto touch me! You'll pay for this!"

"Scatter, Senbonzaukra." The thousands of blades from Byakuya's sword approached Cho from behind and surrounded her completely. Distracted by defending herself against the Squad Six captain's attack, she was not able to continue her focus on Sayori's paralysis technique, thus causing the ability to end. Sayori fell to her knees gasping for air. Not only had Cho's Bankai overwhelmed her, but her near Hollowfication had done damage as well.

"Are you alright?" Byakuya calmly asked as he hovered over her kneeling body. Still panting, Sayori nodded her head. Byakuya dropped the hilt of his sword on the ground. Although things had yet to be resolved between him and her and although the atmosphere between them had been very awkward as of late, Sayori was definitely happy to see the Squad Six captain at that very moment. He extended a hand to help up the shorter shinigami and she happily accepted, returning to her feet in one swift movement.

"Are you still able to fight?" Byakuya asked, concern somewhat visible in his calm, grey eyes. Sayori smirked.

"You must forget who I am."

"You look all beat up. You look like you're barely able to stand."

"Look who's talking." Sayori gestured at the blood stains and rips that covered his captain's haori and the few wounds that covered his arms and face.

"Just a few minor scratches from your guards. It appears that Aizen and Cho have also used them as Hollowfication experiments as well. Almost every guard in this place has been hollowfied." The smirk was erased from Sayori's lips and the look of anger returned.

"This has to end. I'm taking her down now."

"Absolutely not. With your level of stress, you need to sit this one out. Renji and I will finish Cho."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, no. I know I can defeat her. It's my duty as a Hidaka clan member to take her out."

"I can't let you do this. What if your hollow gets out of control again? Are you willing to lose yourself just so you can claim bragging rights? How foolish. Let me and Renji finish this."

"Byakuya, I would expect you of all people to understand. I have to do this. If I don't, the Hidaka clan name will be ruined for generations. I cannot let all of my predecessors efforts become tainted like this. This thing is bigger than me and Cho and Setsuna. It affects my entire clan, the entire Gotei 13 and everything I hold dear. It affects everyone I respect and care for." She lowered her head. "It affects everyone I love." Byakuya lowered his head as well, knowing that those last words were for him. He understood her sentiments and now that she had made them known, he couldn't interfere with her wishes. This battle had now become one of Hidaka clan pride. It started in the clan and it would end in the clan.

"Do as you wish. Just do not charge or attack so recklessly," Byakuya finally conceded, although still reluctant. Sayori smirked.

"No can do, captain," she simply said as she shunpoed away from her best friend and back into the middle of the room where Cho stood, beaten up but still ready to embrace her impending victory.

"I grow tired of this. It's only a matter of time before your body fails you. So just hurry and die already so I can get on with my day."

"You talk a big game for someone who is about to croak."

"Cut the shit, Sayori. You're barely able to stand as it is! Where do you get the audacity to even think that you will win this war?!" And with a cunning smirk, Sayori let her answer spill effortlessly from her lips.

"Bankai!"

* * *

**_A/N: Uh oh, well it looks like Cho isn't the only one who has upgraded her powers over the years. Next chapter, we get to see Sayori's bankai and maybe another surprise. Thank you so much for reading :]_**


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